


Riddle Me This

by Cakelets (Lawlietluver), drowninginchamomiletea



Category: Persona 4
Genre: Adopted Fic, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, IT PARTY LET'S DO THIS, IT bonding, Kanji Tatsumi: Best Mother Hen, Kanji is a worrier, Let's go Naoto you can do it you can confess, Naoto doesn't understand emotions, Oops looks like Kanji beat you to the punch, Rise and Yu are good friendos, What good kiddos, Yu gives good advice, cute stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-12
Updated: 2017-09-07
Packaged: 2018-11-13 14:54:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 33,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11187465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lawlietluver/pseuds/Cakelets, https://archiveofourown.org/users/drowninginchamomiletea/pseuds/drowninginchamomiletea
Summary: In which Kanji confesses by leaving Naoto a series of riddles to solve.This is set in their second year, the year after P4/P4G.EDIT: RMT is now complete, and oh my god, my heart feels like it's gonna explode every time I check my inbox and see the comments that've been left on chapter 12!! I'm never gonna stop writing for my own joy! And I promise I'll keep sharing what I produce!T H A N K S❣





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Riddle me this](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4331733) by [Cakelets (Lawlietluver)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lawlietluver/pseuds/Cakelets). 



> HELLO!! And welcome back to another episode of Nova Loves Kannao Way Too Much! Today we have a work that has potential, but was sadly left incomplete by its original author, Cakelets (Lawlietluver). Our very own Nova [*waves and grins sheepishly* hi lol] commented on the original work to request permission to adopt it, and excitingly, such permission was granted! Now, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT 6/21/2017: I just changed a minor detail so that the flow of time makes better sense, because I feel like October/November is way too late in the school year for the story to start.  
> EDIT 6/22/2017: Just for the convenience of readers literally everywhere except the USA, I've added KPH equivalents to every MPH measure, °C to every °F measure, and otherwise added metric equivalents to every imperial measurement in the story. Ha the US wants to be a dumb rebel child against the metric system

Naoto had always gotten letters in her locker. All, of course, love letters, even after the rumor of her true sex had spread. Thankfully, however, the number of small pink envelopes sealed with heart stickers and lipsticked kisses had been on a steep decline since the beginning of the new school year. It seemed like people were finally getting the message that she wasn't interested.

It was for this reason that, when she opened up her shoe locker at the end of the day, the envelope sitting inside atop her shoes was a bit surprising. Naoto scowled at the envelope before slipping it into her uniform pants pocket with a sigh. After slipping off her custom platform-soled uwabaki and swapping them for her small platform boots, she straightened up and snapped the locker shut with a _click._ Naoto was pushing open the door when she heard pounding steps down the staircase and a hasty shout of, "N-Naoto! Hey, wait up!"

Recognizing the voice, she allowed herself an exasperated half-smile and turned, shaking her head bemusedly. "Kanji-kun." She gave a nod of greeting. Kanji halted beside her, slightly winded. 

“H-hey, you headed home already?” 

“Yes, I was just leaving. Did you need something?"

Kanji looked at the worn push-bar handle on the door. "Uh... Yeah, so I need help in math. We have th... Wait, r-right, o-o'course y'already know about the test. 'm, uh, not ready for it, so..." He paused and suddenly flushed slightly. "I-I mean, if, i-if you're busy, then, tha's fine, I don' wanna im-impose 'r nothin, b-but I mean, if... If yer free...?

Naoto's brain translated his stutters and implications into proper sentences as he spoke.  _"I'm struggling in math class and I am not prepared for the upcoming test on that subject. Are you willing to assist me in my studies?"_ She nodded a little to herself, considering her translation relatively accurate, before directing a more vigorous nod at Kanji.

"Yes, I do have a large empty block on my schedule this afternoon until about..." She slipped out her phone for a split second to confirm her what she remembered of the day's schedule. "...Yes, about four-fourty-five," she concluded, nodding again. "What location did you have in mind?"

Kanji started slightly. Even after a year of interacting with the detective, her superpowers of perception and understanding still freaked him out sometimes. 

"Er..." Aiya would be too loud, and the library too quiet; the pavilion and Souzai Daigaku were out, too, as it had been blustery all day. That left their homes. "Uh, my place then, I guess."

"Excellent. Let's be off then," Naoto said, taking off with a smooth, yet impressively swift, stride.

The pair headed out, away from the school campus and towards the shopping district. Naoto walked with purpose, maintaining her initial speed, while Kanji awkwardly kept pace.

A few minutes of silence passed, Kanji desperately casting around for topics of conversation. His eyes finally landed on the envelope, which was partially visible sticking out of Naoto's pocket.

“Hey, issat a letter? I didn' know people were still givin' 'em to you.” Naoto couldn’t help but note the nervous edge to his words.

Regarding what he had said, she had actually almost forgotten she was even carrying the letter. She slipped it out and frowned. Unlike the vast majority of the letters of affection she'd ever received, there was none of that girly, romantic, saccharine...  _Something._ "My Prince Charming", "Detective Prince", "solve the mystery of my stolen heart", hearts and stars, stickers, perfume, cursive handwriting, pastel everything; she always gagged a little at the very thought of the whole aesthetic. However, its absence here was... Intriguing. 

“It seems that for some reason I am still the target of romantic gestures. I tossed out a batch earlier; this one must have arrived since,” she added, indicating the envelope in her hand.

Kanji looked round at her with a frown, though he supposed he shouldn't really be surprised.

“You never read 'em? Not even one?”

Naoto shrugged.

“I never plan on reciprocating, so why bother?”

Silence hung in the air a few seconds. 

“Maybe y-you should, should read this one. I, I mean, just cause—just f-for shits and giggles, right?”

Naoto was not amused. However, this envelope did seem to differ from the usual. Curiosity always got the better of her in the end—it was in her nature as a detective, after all. Her fingers curled beneath the edge of the flap, and she slit it open just as they reached Tatsumi Textiles. Without a word, Naoto slipped the envelope back into her pocket. Kanji glanced at her nervously before opening the door and calling out, “Ma! I’m home!”

His mother greeted them from behind the register as the two teenagers slipped off their shoes and climbed the narrow staircase to the house above the shop. They sat down at the low table in the living room and Kanji pulled out his textbook and notebook, opening each to the appropriate page. Naoto sat up and got down to business.

“What part do you not understand?”

Kanji looked down sheepishly.

“Um. All of it?”

Naoto frowned at that. This may be more difficult than she thought.

“Look at this one.” She pointed to one of the simpler math problems on the page. “Did you not learn this last year?”

Again Kanji turned uncomfortable and looked anywhere but at her.

“Uhm... I dunno, I wasn’t really... Going to school last year." Glancing at Naoto and seeing her expression begin to turn ominous, he hurriedly added, "until, y'know, senpai helped me out.”

That didn’t match what she thought she knew about him. Last year, when she was interested in talking with him about the case, he'd said he was going to school.

Without realizing it, Naoto had slipped into interrogation mode. She kept her suspect pinned down and quieted with her glare, and her voice lowered back to the masculine tone that she had used for years before she met her Shadow.

“Kanji." 

“Y-yeah?”

"Do you remember our first encounter?"

Kanji turned three shades redder at the memory. 

"Yeah..."

“And during that interaction, did you not tell me that you were attending school?”

“Oh that, um, uh... I kinda, um, that was sortof a... I mighta been, uh, not totally honest?”

Naoto's expression was quickly turning from stern and concerned to downright dangerous, and poor Kanji was the target of her icy eyes.

"So how much school did you"—her eyes flashed—" _honestly_ attend last year?"

He mumbled something noncommital. 

Her next sentence was through gritted teeth.

"Speak clearly, Tatsumi." 

"Prolly... 'Bout eight months, total..."

Kanji had always been taller than Naoto—hell, who hadn't? But him especially. It certainly didn't help that he'd undergone a growth spurt since last year, leaving him at an imposing 6'7" (201 cm), while Naoto had barely grown enough to hit 5'15/16" (154.78125 cm). ("I consider precise accuracy to be valuable in all things," she'd said at Yosuke's snicker.)

Despite this, however, Kanji suddenly felt as though they had swapped heights.

Naoto, for her part, was fully blinded by instinct. Her voice fell lower still, and she began rising to her feet when she next spoke.

"Do you mean to te—"  _nostopdontfight_

She suddenly stopped, mouth still open in mid-word. 

_Kanjisnicehegoestoschoolnow dontmakehimhurtaboutthepast hesourfriend_

The room was left in ringing silence. Naoto's gaze dropped to the floor, and her right hand went to the side of her head.

"I... Sukuna...?" She breathed.

_imherewhenyoureallyreallyneedme_

Then, abruptly, time stated moving again. Naoto looked both horrified and embarassed, and Kanji straightened up, confused.

"I... I am... I sincerely apologize, Kanji-kun. I... I don't know what came over me." She let herself fall back to the floor, sitting on her heels, and adjusted her cap.

"Do... You ever hear Take-Mi anymore?"

Kanji hesitated.

"Well... Y'know, he was never talkative t'begin with, but, uh..." He shook his head as if to clear it. "Um, once. Back in February, righ' after Senpai wen' back t'the city, an' righ' when you wen' out on tha' case in Sapporo. When I almost got in a fight with some third-years. Take-Mi, erm... He tol' me t'stop. That I'm better 'n them. An'... Well, y'know. Never got into that fight, righ'? ...Why d'you ask?"

"Sukuna-Hikona just... He talked sense back into me. And... Said he's still there, when I 'really really' need him."

"'S good to know they're still there f'r us," Kanji rumbled quietly. Naoto blinked, somewhat surprised, and looked up at Kanji. He was staring at his pencil, which sat abandoned atop his math book.

"Yes... It is," she concurred softly. A wave of guilt suddenly washed over her. 

"Kanji-kun, I-I truly do apologize. My actions were completely unwarranted and did not mean... Rather, I... My apologies. I still struggle to express my emotions properly, so I always seem to express indifference, interest, or anger. However, that may not be how I truly feel. Or, that usually is not how I truly feel."

Kanji seemed to take a moment to absorb and translate what she had just said. Eventually, he grunted and spoke.

"First off, don' 'pologize. I get it, I wanna 'pologize to Ma left'n right all th'time. But y'know what? Tha's all jus' parta you, righ'? Gotta accept it, an' all. We already did that, an' we got a buddy in our hands t'make sure we don' forget." He tapped his head. "An' secon' off, i's fine if you can' show emotion. Cause even if y'can't show it, y'can always tell it, righ'? Use... Put all your big fancy words to good use," he added, before sputtering out and halting like a car run out of gas.

"That..." Naoto was half-stupefied, half-awed—stupefied at the length and fluency of his little speech, and awed at its eloquence.

He caught her eye for a fraction of a second, and they shared a look that said much more than words could've. Kanji looked away and blushed again. 

Naoto decided it was a good moment to change the subject back to math. 

“Regardless. This is simple, do you remember the Pythagorean theorem?”

An hour later the books were closed and the pair were instead talking about a popular crime show. Naoto explained to Kanji about how ‘this is not how a real police team works’ or ‘this process involves much more paperwork than what's shown’. While Kanji couldn’t really follow what Naoto said half the time, he still let her rant just to hear her voice.

However, their conversation ended prematurely when Naoto noticed the time.  
“I’m sorry but I really must be going,” she said, rising from her place at the table.

“Oh yeah, o-of course, I’ll walk you out.”

It certainly was getting late; the early summer sun cast long shadows as it approached the horizon, and the street lamps that lined the shopping district were already beginning to buzz and flicker to life. Naoto turned to Kanji and tipped her hat slightly.

“I’ll be off now. Till morn.”

“Yeah, see ya. Thanks for helpin' me out. May even pass this time.” He said with a grin.

“If you remember those theorems then you just might.” Naoto cracked a small smile before turning to head towards the bus station.

After boarding the bus and choosing a seat by the back, Naoto finally slipped the envelope from her pocket, removing the paper inside. Her eyes widened as she skimmed the sloppily written message.

**_If you're up for a challenge then solve the riddles to find the clues  
_ **

**_I have 88 keys but cannot open a single door_ **

**_What am I?_ **

Naoto reread the message, intrigued at the challenge. However, solving a simple riddle couldn’t be too hard. Child's play, really. Nevertheless... She folded the note up again and slid it back into the envelope. She turned to the window and watched cars pass by, her mind somewhere else completely. This little scavenger hunt reminded her of the one her grandfather had her solve. That had been much simpler, and last time Yu was in town to give her a hand. She leaned against the cool glass window of the bus as it carried her to her apartment.

* * *

 

“Did she open it?!”

“I dunno, I didn’t see her open it, Rise, she's prob'ly thrown it out by now.” Kanji said into the phone, feeling sick with himself. Gaahhh, he KNEW this was a bad idea!!

“What! but it was such a good plan...” Rise’s voice was dripping in disappointment.

Kanji sighed, tired of Rise’s supposedly great dating advice turning sour. He knew in the end it was probably his fault for screwing up the supposedly great dating advice, but he was starting to feel tired of it all.

“But hey, there's still a chance! Naoto IS a detective, after all, she'll probably LOVE this!” Rise chirped reassuringly.

He decided not to mention that there was also a chance that Naoto didn’t see him the same way he saw her at all.

“Thanks... Ugh, I guess.” He yawned and glanced across the room at his current knitting project.

“You can thank me the day when Risette's Master Kanji/Naoto Matchmaking Plan works out, heehee!! Ah~!! Senpai's texting me, gotta go Kanji! Baiii!!!”

“Night Rise.” She'd ended the call before he'd finished speaking, but he didn't mind. 'S just Rise being her excitable self. Setting down his phone, he padded over to pick up the unfinished newsboy-style cap, and perhaps work on it to help ignore his worries. He really hoped that this would turn out okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a great source on how the Japanese academic year is structured: http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/explore/calendar/april/schoolyear.html
> 
> Okay guys. You better enjoy the HELL outta this chapter cause I've spent literally all day—1100 this morning to now, 2345—HOLY BALLS I LEGIT SPENT 12 HOURS ON THIS AN I HOPE I MADE IT SMOOTH AS A BABY'S BUFFED AND POLISHED ASS—rejuvenating and remodeling it and I am tired as fuuuuuck.  
> Worth it lol ✌ look out for more tomorrow!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'mmmmm back! This is the last chapter that Cakelets wrote. I did plenty of scrubbing and polishing. Expect my typical, slightly shorter chapters from now on. Love this story, I've got a lot of ideas for it! Enjoy! ⭐⭐

Class that day was as boring as ever. Naoto had chosen to not pay attention to the current chemistry lecture and instead decided to think about the riddle. She knew it must be a play on words, but riddles like this took a certain frame of mind to understand.

A noise drew her out of thoughts. It was the sound of a small folded piece of paper landing on her desk. Her eyes flicked upward towards Kashiwagi before she unfolded the note, reading it quickly.

_This class sucks, wish we could mix real chemicals instead of just talk about them_

Kanji often passed her notes in this class; in their morning classes he tended to be asleep and in the afternoon ones he would actually try to keep up with the lectures. Naoto scribbled back,

_I suggest you pay attention; there is math involved in these problems._

She discreetly tossed the note to Kanji’s desk. After a few seconds the note was back;

_Its not like Im gonna understand anyway so why bother_

Naoto frowned, wishing she could get it through his skull that if he just _payed attention_ like he did in his later classes, he would understand. However instead she wrote on the slip.

_Off subject—what has 88 keys but does not open any doors?_

His answer was passed back after a few minutes.

_Uhh a piano? I think the one at my place has 88 keys_

Of course! A piano! How had it not hit her? It should've been obvious; she'd played the piano since she was small. She would need to pay a visit to the music room, and if no clues were to be found there then it would be back to the drawing board. She wrote a short _thank you,_ but was cut off by the bell signalling lunch.

“Ugh. _Finally!_  That class lasted forever.” Kanji said, stretching in his seat.

“It was particularly uninteresting today.” Naoto pulled out her bento and rose from her seat. Kanji did the same.

“So, wassup with that riddle? You testin' me or somethin'?”

“It was nothing, really. Thank you for helping me out though.”

Kanji grinned.

“No problem, it's rare enough that I could solve something before you anyway.”

She frowned slightly.  _True enough._

“You gonna be on the roof?”

She shook her head.

"No. I have some business to attend to in the practice building. I will see you after lunch." She gave a small bow before heading off.

The music room was empty when Naoto entered it. She walked over to the solitary grand piano and inspected it, soon finding a brown envelope taped to underside of the instrument. She quickly tore open the top and examined the note.

**_Find me a mouse who doesn't eat cheese._ **

Another simple riddle, one that practically everyone knew the answer to. A computer mouse. She hastily opened the door to head off towards the computer lab. In her rush, however, she collided with someone much taller and heavier, and fell to the floor.

“Oof! Watch where—Naoto-chan? I didn’t expect you to be coming out of the music room.” Chie looked at Naoto with bewilderment.

Naoto stood, dusting herself off, and tipped her cap to her senpai.

“My apologies, Chie-senpai. I was just off to the computer lab.”

“The computer lab? You gotta paper to write?” She glanced between the detective and the music room and she frowned, confused. “A paper about... Music?”

Naoto shook her head.

“No, nothing school-related. I’m actually... Er, on a bit of a case.” Chie raised her eyebrows, and Naoto shook her head. “Nothing official, do not be concerned. You see, I received a letter in my locker yesterday containing a riddle. It led me to the music room, where I found another. Well... You can see how it would intrigue me. I've decided to follow this for now, to see where it leads.”

“Oh! So, like... A scavenger hunt?”

“I... Suppose you could say that.”

“You want some help? What kinda riddles we talkin' here?” She asked with a characteristic devious grin, falling into step with Naoto as she headed off.

“They are indeed quite simple, I wouldn’t want to keep you from your business.” Hadn’t Chie been about to do something before she ran into her?

“Oh, don’t worry about it, I don’t really feel like beating up Hanamura today anyway.”

Naoto frowned disapprovingly, but said nothing. Shortly thereafter, they arrived at the computer lab. However, their search for envelopes in the lab ended up reaping no rewards. They checked under each mouse and keyboard and around every monitor, but no note was to be found. The answer to the riddle had to be a computer mouse... Right? The perpetrator had lulled her into a false sense of security with disturbing ease.

“Hm... Are there any other places with computers in the school? Oh! Maybe the library?” Chie pondered as she looked over the last monitor.

“We will have to search tomorrow. The library is closed for cleaning after school today,” Naoto replied, just as the lunch bell rang.

“Oh, right.” There was a pause before Chie spoke up again.

“I wonder who sent it... I mean, it has to be someone at school, right?”

“Doubtless. I just hope this doesn't turn out to be more than just a game." Naoto cast a concerned frown upon Chie. "It wouldn't do if you were to get hurt on my account."

Chie blinked several times, surprised. 

"Wow, I never thought of that. I'll be careful, I promise, Naoto-chan. Anyways, it's not like there's anyone who can take down the legendary Chie Satonaka and her mythic Lightning Kick!" Chie kicked the air and fell into perfect kung-fu posture.

Naoto gave a half-smile, amused and silently relieved. Chie-senpai could take care of herself.

They left the lab and headed for their respective classrooms in the main building. Upon reaching the main staircase, Naoto waved farewell to her friend and started up the stairs. 

* * *

 

When the final bell rang, Naoto gathered her things and headed out. Just as she reached the classroom door, she couldn't help glancing back at Kanji, who was still carefully placing his roughly scribbled notes into his color-coded-by-subject-and-date accordian file. When he looked up and saw her, he grinned and blushed a little. She nodded back before leaving.  _I hope he actually studies tonight._

* * *

 

Kanji browsed the grocery and produce aisles of Junes. He had spent all afternoon stalling, dreading having to study. I mean, seriously, just sitting and staring at math for hours on end was not only not fun, but frustrating as hell. Therefore, when his Ma commented on the lack of food in the refrigerator, he jumped on the excuse and volunteered to do some shopping.

He was scanning over the vegetables and thinking about how some cilantro would taste on ganmo, when he heard her.

“Kanji-kun?” He turned to see Naoto standing a nearby with a basket of microwave dinners.  _D-dammit. She's too cute for 'er own good, she can't just jump me like that, I'm not prepared for a conversation with her right now, I look like hell, gundammit this is not the time Naoto stop standing there looking so cute aauugh..._

His mind continued in this vein as he stuttered out,

“N-Naoto! Wha—? Why aren't y—? Why're you here?”

“It is grocery-shopping day.” She indicated the contents of the basket she held.

Kanji frowned. 

“Er... All microwave dinners?” There was a small pause.

"I find cooking to be a hassle for which I can spare neither time nor money. You?"

Part of him wanted to deny having ever seen a cooking utensil before, like he would if Yosuke asked the question. Naoto, however, was  _not_ Yosuke.

“Uh... I'm makin' some ganmodoki. I already stopped by Marukyu but jist got the base ingredients cause they were outta premade; 'm just here fer... Herbs an... An' stuff." 

Naoto's eyebrows went up almost imperceptibly. 

"If that is indeed all you are here for, then you have been loitering for an unnecessarily long time." Kanji nearly twitched and felt his face burn.  _Has she been_ watchin'  _me!?_

"Uhm, yeah, well, y'know, 'm just... Lookin' at... Stuff. An'... An' stuff... Cause, uh... Yeah..." He trailed off and desperately gestured to nothing in particular.

"Kanji."

"Y-yeah!" He straightened up and stood at attention in response to her commanding, stern tone.

"Are you avoiding your schoolwork?"

He slumped, giving up against her perceptive prowess.

"Yeah..."

"Do you need more help?"

"That'd be... Real nice o'ya, yeah..."

Naoto sighed.

"Alright, I'll walk to Tatsumi-ya with you and help you study tonight."

Suddenly an idea floated across his mind, an idea Rise had suggested to him at one point last year but that he'd still been too desperately awkward around Naoto to ever dream of trying. He averted his eyes to his own basket of groceries before speaking.

“H-hey, uh, i-if ya wanted then I-I could sh-show you how t-to make ganmo, at my place, and you could, uh, take it home 'n put it in, uh, like, the... The fridge'r somethin'... F'r later, righ'?”

Fuck, his words sounded awkward as hell. He stole a glance at the young detective to see her reaction and was shocked when he saw her pink face. Oh jesus _god_ she was blushing, and at this point he was sure he himself looked like a pomegranate with a face. Naoto's light dusting of pink on her cheekbones and a little less on her nose, and her slightly widened eyes, with their smoky blue irises contracted in surprise, on jeez oh god oh jesus _christ_ is this a good or a bad sign!?  _Stop bein' so CUTE, dammit, I can't think!_ If only he could discreetly text Rise for help.

“That sounds... Acceptable. But we study first.” 

“You s-serious? I mean, great!” He laughed shakily and grinned.

After making some more small talk and gathering any remaining groceries, the pair headed for the checkout. All Kanji could think was to thank whatever god was out there that neither Yosuke nor Teddie were working the register that day.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which I am impressed with Kanji for setting up such a complex string of riddles and tests, I decide to add a hurt/comfort element to the story, and Naoto does lots of detective-ing with the help of a few friends.

Naoto's eyes shot open. She was spinning, tumbling through space—but something was wrong. She'd felt this, many times before. And it wasn't normal. She finally hit ground and blacked out.

When she came to, green and white lights surrounded her. She lay on something hard, flat, and impenetrably cold. Her hands and feet were cuffed down, and  _everything ACHED._  

She _knew_ she'd been here before.

But why was she back? How could—

"Awake now, are we?" 

The voice, almost mechanical, sent frost shooting down her spine. Of course,  _of course,_ it was promptly replaced. 

"Ooohh, you're awake, you're awake!! C'mon, let's play, play!!" Her other self squealed gleefully. "We gotta do it, we gotta start now!! We can do it now, nobody came!"

"It is with great happiness that I announce... The body alteration procedure will now commence!"

It was only then that she noticed the blinding light and enormous drill with its tip within a centimeter of her bare stomach. It began to spin.

The shadow slowly backed away, its maniacal laughter filling the enormous room, along with her screams and cries of pain and fear and the screeching and crunching and banging of tearing and clashing metal... _bangbangbabambangBANGAGAGBMAMBANGABAMABAMABANG **BANGBANGBANG**_

_"NAOTO! FUCKIN ANSWER ME, DAMMIT! NAOTO!!!"_

She violently bolted upright, panting and sweating, throat hoarse.  _Just a dream... Just a dream... Just a dream, Shirogane. Just a dream._

But...

_"NAOTO, **PLEASE!!** ANSWER THE DAMN DOOR SO I KNOW YOU'RE OKAY!!!"_

She shook her head to clear it. Without really thinking, she rushed to the door, if only to silence the knocker. She swung it open, and in tumbled Kanji Tatsumi, mid-knock and about to shout again.

"Ghahk-!"

She stood over him, scowling slightly.

"And may I ask  _why_ exactly you're trying to break down my door?"

He sat up, scowling right back. "Ya weren' at school or answerin' yer phone, so I come to check on ya durin' lunch, an' when I get here all I hear inside is you screamin' fer help! The hell else was I s'posed to do!?"

She nearly squawked and looked at her watch. _T-twelve thirty-two!? How late did I stay up last night?? Did I miss my alarm? Did my phone die? Did I forget to set my clock last night? Was there a power outage? I know I've paid all my bills._

Her (admittedly not inappropriate) response was to swear loudly and scramble to get dressed and packed for school. Kanji stood bewildered and still angry in the living room.

"What're you—'m not done talkin', dammit!"

"How much have I missed in our classes? Kanji-kun, how much time do we have?"

He shook his head.

"Calm down, we got, uh, 'bout a half hour t'get back. I'still lunch."

She finally appeared back in the living room, wearing her uniform and clutching her bookbag, looking around in a panic. Remembering what she needed, she guessed across the room and nearly slammed into the gun locker to open it. She pulled up a pant leg—Kanji looked away, blushing furiously—and strapped on her weapon before swinging the locker door closed and sliding to a halt before Kanji. 

"Are we prepared to leave?"

"Er... Yeah...?" 

"Excellent. We must exit swiftly." She bolted out the door, leaving a confused and exasperated Kanji to lock up and lumber after her.

* * *

_Ya weren' at school or answerin' yer phone, so I come to check on ya durin' lunch, an' when I get here all I hear inside is you screamin' fer help! The hell else was I s'posed to do!?_

Naoto shuddered. She was immensely grateful for how easily she had avoided the conversation about her screaming.  _That dream... Ugh. Lord, I must've been screaming and crying in my sleep. I... No, this isn't... He..._ She thought back to last year, and Narukami-senpai's talks with her about stopping to understand someone's motive before responding snappily. _Kanji-kun... He was worried about me being absent, of course. That's rare enough to be unheard of. But to actually come to my home and check on me? That seems a bit much, even for a very close friend._

She thought as she jogged, Kanji a few places behind her. They'd get back with time to spare. 

Her phone buzzed. It was Chie, judging by the tone, which was a nostalgic recording of the would-be kung fu master chasing down Teddy and Yosuke for some foolish thing they'd done last year. Naoto smiled and shook her head, pulling out her phone—which, in fact, had been charging all night, and never died—to check the message.

 

> U okay Naoto? I kno Kanji went 2 get u but I wasn't sure if he'd make it ther 

She glanced back at Kanji, who was stubbornly glaring at her heels.

 

> YES. WAS VRY SURPRSD. THNKS 4 CONCRN.

Another buzz and bloodcurdling screech of " ** _GET YOUR SKINNY ASSES BACK HERE_** _ **!!!**_ ", and a new message came in.

 

> Good!! Still about 20 min left in lunch, u 2 can come up 2 the roof & sit w the team!
> 
> SOUNDS GOOD. ALMOST THER. C U IN 5.

She set her phone to vibrate and placed it back in her pants pocket. Somewhat unsurprisingly, it immediately buzzed again. She rolled her eyes. Her friends were too chatty for their own good.

"What now..." She grumbled, opening her phone. Yosuke had started up a conversation in the Investigation Team group chat.

 

> Yosuke: Team hangout @ junes food ct aftr schl 2day! sond gr8 or wht??
> 
> Yukiko: That sounds wonderful! I'll let Mother know I can't help at the inn today.
> 
> Chie: Im w Yuki! I get first dibs on the green apple topsicles!!
> 
> Rise: Aww why'd you guys have 2 bring it up on the whole IT chat?? You're making me sad that I'm missing out!!
> 
> ｡･ﾟ･(ﾉД`)･ﾟ･｡
> 
> Yu: Yeah, really. You couldn't have at least invited us to join in via video chat or something?
> 
> Rise: Oooohhhhh that's a totally awesome idea senpai!!! <3<3<3 we should do that!! I have the whole afternoon off after 1 this is gonna be GREAT~!! (≧▽≦)
> 
> I'll call kanji and Senpai can call yosuke!!
> 
> ヾ(｡>﹏<｡)ﾉﾞ✧*。
> 
> Chie: Okay!! That sounds awesome!!
> 
> Naoto: SOUNDS GR8. C U *ALL* @ 15:30 THN?
> 
> Kanji: Rad! I'm down for a team meeting like old times.
> 
> Yu: Hahah, and I assume Ted will be hanging around Junes, as usual?
> 
> Yosuke: ye, he nvr rlly left th stor lmao
> 
> Yu: Pft, of course not. Dunno why I ever really expected otherwise; he's so at home there.
> 
> Rise: I gotta go do a quick photoshoot, guys!! C u at 3:30~~!! ❤(ӦｖӦ｡)
> 
> Yu: Yeah, there goes my lunch bell. See you later, team!
> 
> Yosuke: cu, prtnr!
> 
> Chie: ttfn u 2!!!
> 
> Yukiko: See you after school!
> 
> Kanji: Later, Rise! Bye, senpai!
> 
> Naoto: BYE U 2. C U @ MEETNG L8R
> 
> Rise: (^_-)-☆

Naoto suddenly realized that she was grinning stupidly. She quickly snapped her phone shut and shoved it back in her pocket, tugging her cap's brim far down over her face. Just as she did so, they came into view of the school gates.

This afternoon was going to be more fun than she'd had in a long while.

* * *

Naoto frowned at the piece of paper in her hand. At the top, she had rewritten the most recent riddle. The rest of the page was covered in her notes and musings. 

The primary problem was the word choice; "Find me a _mouse_   _who_ _doesn't_ eat cheese."

First: "mouse." It could mean any number of things, which she had already listed on the paper:

_1\. Literal_

_a) An actual mouse (highly doubtful)_

_b) A computer mouse_

_c) A toy mouse_

_2\. Metaphorical_

_a) "mousey" as in quiet/shy_

_b) "mousey" as in small_

_c) "mousey" as in a light brownish-grey color_

_d) cute/endearing_

_e) "mousish" as in nosy (rarely used word; doubtful)_

She struck out the things she had already ruled out and the things that were unlikely to the point of being almost laughable.

_1\. Literal_

_a) An actual mouse (highly doubtful)_

~~_b) A computer mouse_ ~~

_c) A toy mouse_

_2\. Metaphorical_

_a) "mousey" as in quiet/shy_

_b) "mousey" as in small_

~~_c) "mousey" as in a light brownish-grey color (doubtful; unusual for high schoolers to use the word in this way)_ ~~

_d) cute/endearing_

~~_e) "mousish" as in nosy (rarely used word; doubtful)_ ~~

She looked it over again. That would have to do until she could investigate more. 

Moving on: "who." She found this an extremely odd pronoun to use for a mouse; usually one would use "which" or "that" in this sentence, not "who." Could this "mouse," therefore, actually be a person? She jotted this down and drew a line connecting to the above list of possible metaphorical meanings of "mouse."

Further, "doesn't." What did that mean? Did it mean that the "mouse"  _can't_ eat cheese, for medical or health reasons (lactose intolerance)? Or that it (he? she? they?)  _won't_ , as a matter of personal preference or a juvenile form of rebellion?

She shook her head, confounded and yet still reveling in the investigation. It shouldn't be too difficult to find someone at Yasogami who fit the description; small, quiet, cute, perhaps shy, possibly lactose into—"EAGK!!" 

Eye-deep in her musings, Naoto was allowing muscle memory to carry her to Junes, so the collision with one of her classmates... Really shouldn't have been all that surprising.

"Oh no, oh no, I'm so sorry, Shirogane-san!! Ohh, I'm such a klutz!" The girl squeaked, scrambling up from the pavement and bowing profusely. Naoto looked round at her and bowed slightly in return.

"No, Matsunaga-san, the fault is mine. I was not paying attention to where I was walking. Are you injured?" She knelt, checking the pinkish scrape on the girl's knees. Ayane Matsunaga was her name, and she was the only person in the entire school, including the first years, who was as short as Naoto. 

"Your hands?" 

Ayane had jumped when Naoto checked her knees, and she now hastily waved her hands in dismissal. 

"No, no, really, it's fine!"

Naoto shook her head, sighing exasperatedly, and caught hold of the trombonist's small, yet impressively well muscled, wrists. Her hands were skinned lightly as well, but it was nothing serious.

"When you get home, wash your hands and knees with soap and water, gently pat them dry with a clean towel, and dress them with sterile, self-adhesive bandages. Band-Aids," she added, at Matsunaga's look of incomprehension.

"Oh! Um, thank you so very much, Shirogane-san!" Ayane quickly wrenched her hands from Naoto's slack grip, and hissed gently.

"It's starting to sting already..."

"Indeed. You should get home promptly and clean them up," Naoto said, turning to continue her walk to Junes. "Farewell, Matsunaga-san."

"B-bye, Shirogane-san!! Th-thank you!"

Naoto suddenly recalled something and halted, swinging back around.

"Matsunaga-san!" She called. Ayane tuned back, and Naoto jogged to her. She dug in her bag for a moment before producing a small pink box of chocolates. 

"Here," she said, offering the box to Ayane. "I received them in my locker recently. Please take them as an apology."

Ayane's eyes widened, and she shook her head, pushing the box back to Naoto.

"Oh, no, I couldn't do that. Don't you want them?"

Naoto grimaced slightly. 

"I do not much enjoy chocolate. Please; I'd rather it not go to waste." She insistently pushed the box into Matsunaga's hands.

"Er-well-I-I truly do appreciate the gesture, but I'm lactose intolerant, so I can't eat most chocolate!"

Naoto froze, and the corners of her mouth began to twitch upwards of their own volition into the kind of smirk that only came from solving a frustrating lead. _Wait a second. Small, cute, shy, quiet, lactose intolerant... Is it_ her?

"Matsunaga-san... Do you happen to have a message for me? Perhaps... A riddle?"

Ayane jumped again. 

"Ack, that's right! I can't believe I forgot!! I'm supposed to tell you that—I mean, I'm supposed to read you a riddle!" She paused. "Er, make sure you've got a pen and paper, alright? I don't have this written down."

Naoto nodded and held up the pen and paper she was holding.

"Alright, great. Here goes..." She cleared her throat and recited,

" _ **The story of a group of eight:**_

 _**Four were b**_ **_orn in Inaba, three from far away; now one of the three has gone, far from here he stays._ **

**_One of the Inaba four's not much, at least not at first blush; but if you look at her just wrong, then you'll be quickly crushed._ **

**_F_** **_ive have family businesses, one the heir has gone; another's lovesick for the third, the third's denial's strong._ **

**_Four's afraid he fell in love, in just the way he fears; but the boy he loves has gone, far away from here._ **

**_Five has faced herself head-on, just like all the rest; her great fear was being an heir, but now she'll be the best._ **

**_Lastly in our motley group, the boy who seldom sleeps; innocent and sweet he seems, but gives the girls the creeps!_ **

**_Say this tight-knit gang's old name, and go to where they meet; four down, three right on the magazine rack, you'll find the clue you need._** "

Naoto finished copying down the riddle and checking it with Ayane.

"You have my thanks, Matsunaga-san. I'll be curious to see where this leads..." She said, folding up the paper and tucking it away.

"I really must be going now, though. I have a prior engagement." She tripped her cap to Ayane, gave her a characteristic cautious half-smile, and hurried off to Junes.

The riddle was quite simple, really, for all its wordiness. A group of eight, four from Inaba, three not, one unspecified. One of the three from faraway had again left—that would be Yu. It described Chie, the otherwise-unremarkable fiery martial artist. Five were the heirs to family businesses; one had left (that had to be Rise leaving Marukyu to go back to being an idol), the next was a he (Kanji, probably) and was in love with the third (though she couldn't think who that was. Did someone's family own a business she didn't know about?), who was oblivious. The fourth, doubtlessly Yosuke, was afraid of his love for Yu. (She smiled, shaking her head. Could no one else see how hopelessly in love each was with the other?) Then it made a clear reference to what she had heard of Yukiko's shadow, so the innkeep's daughter must be number five. The last one described was clearly Teddy.

But going through the riddle and playing who's-who didn't matter, as long as she was sure it spoke of the Investigation Team. As she shook that part of the riddle from her mind, the Junes elevator bumped to a halt and opened onto the top floor, and she hurried to the enormous magazine rack on the far wall beside the door to the rooftop food court, counted one, two, three, four down to the bottom row and one, two, three to the right. Peering behind the seven or so copies of _Forensics Magazine_ in search of the promised clue, she spotted a plain 3x5 notecard with several strings of numbers and a short note written on it.

**_75-23-63-74  9-77-16-52  26-90-68-25  6-8-25-53-6_ **

**_Check the table_ **

This was such a drastic change from the previous breadcrumbs she'd followed that Naoto simply stared at the paper for a few seconds.  _What are these numbers? A code? Encrypted text? And the key is on some table?_ If the culprit knew as much about the IT's meeting place as the last clue had implied, then perhaps "the table" referred to the table the team always sat at. However, it may also have been speaking of a data table, in which case she was lost. 

She stood, not wanting to waste any time, and pushed through the door to the food court. She was already late to the gathering, but she had a growing investigation on her hands, and that took stark priority over everything else. Before anyone could even open their mouth to question her lateness, she spoke. She was already in full detective mode by now, and her friends could always tell when she spoke in the familiar commanding Det. Naoto Shirogane voice.

"Everyone stand, and take your things off the table." 

They did as she said, and Yosuke asked, "Naoto? What's happening?" 

Yu concurred from Yosuke's phone. 

"Yeah, I haven't seen you in full-on Detective Shirogane Mode since last year. Something happen?" 

Kanji was trying everything to conceal his flushed cheeks behind his phone, from which Rise whispered to him gleefully,

"She's on the case, Kanji!!"

"Shuddup, R-Rise..."

In the meantime, Naoto was focused on examining the surface of the table. She ran a hand across it, went over it with her flashlight several times with different colored filters, and tried scraping across it with the edge of a plastic card. She repeated this process on the underside of the table and on the legs. All the while, her friends exchanged uneasy glances, knowing she'd explain when she was done. 

"You may sit," she finally dismissed, standing up straight and brushing some of the moisture off of her sleeves.

"You gonna tell us what that was about, Shirogane, or am I gonna have to find out for myself?" Chie chuckled, jokingly stretching her arms as if to prepare for a beat-down. 

"Hnn. Just one..." Naoto held up an index finger, walking from table to table, performing quick checks on each of them. When she returned, shaking her head, she addressed the table of people. 

"I have... I am on a bit of an unofficial investigation, and it is gaining in speed and intensity. I will explain fully once I ascertain for certain that there is no danger involved. I am not terribly concerned; however, there is definitely someone dedicated behind all this, so I'd rather be safe than sorry. My apologies, but I must skip this gathering to follow a few leads. Good day." She tipped her cap slightly, swiveled around, and strode back in the direction she came. 

This was turning out to be a much more interesting case than she had anticipated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, I was really having trouble getting started with this chapter, but now I've got my own creative ball rolling from where Cakelets' stopped, so the rest should just flow from my fingers! I love writing Naoto in her element, thinking, searching, questioning, observing, cause it's not dissimilar to how I walk around life!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Naoto begins to suspect that this case may be more dangerous than it seems. She also wants to know how the FUCK the culprit got into her house cause that shit's creepy. Also Kashiwagi's a bitch.
> 
> EDIT 6/22/2017: Just for the convenience of readers literally everywhere except the USA, I've added KPH equivalents to every MPH measure, °C to every °F measure, and otherwise added metric equivalents to every imperial measurement in the story. Ha the US wants to be a dumb rebel child against the metric system

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a party scene planned that involves Naoto, Yosuke, two scooters, a bowl of spiked punch, and a lot of stuff that the sober IT members aren't sure is legal.  
> I can't wait for chapters five and six. Let's go.

Naoto slowed her careful, light-footed run, cautiously approaching the lightly scuffed, black-painted front door to her apartment. If her intuition was right, it meant the next clue was in her  _personal_ copy of the book. That meant that the culprit was able to get  _inside her apartment,_ which was frankly... Very concerning, now that she actually thought about it. Were they in there right now? Were they waiting for her? What intentions did they have with this little investigation game? If they could get in there all along, then what would be the point of all these clues? To play with her?  _Mock_ her? Perhaps they were _trying_ to unnerve her, to throw her off balance and make her easier to trick. 

She gently wrapped her hand around the doorknob to prevent it from rattling when she unlocked the door. She carefully and _ever so slowly_ slid the key into the lock, hearing one, two, three, four, five, six _kliks_ from the key pins. She stopped and silently exhaled, before taking another deep breath in and out to prevent dizziness. Making as little noise as possible, she  _graaadually_ turned the key, allowing only a nearly silent sliding scrape from the deadbolt and some whispered creaking from the clearly aging springs. She cringed and grim aced slightly at the seemingly deafening _clack_ when the lock yielded. Surely anyone inside would be alerted to her presence now. Just as cautiously as before, she turned the key upright and pulled it out, again grimacing at every gentle rattle of the deadbolt and every creak of the key pin springs. She placed the key back in her pocket.

Taking one more deep breath, she laid a hand on her gun holster. Steeling herself, she _sloooowwwly_ turned the handle, hating every creaking _tink_ of the main spring. When she couldn't turn the handle any more, she began sliding the door open, millimeter by millimeter...

* * *

 

Six hours earlier...

Naoto walked into school, face still slightly pink from the chill Saturday morning breeze, trying hard not to grin, feeling fantastically refreshed even after the short ride to school. She found riding her scooter to be a terrific outlet for her stress, not to mention it was just... Fun. The rush of adrenaline and dopamine was at much a drug as heroin or any opioid; it's not like the effect on the brain was much different. 

After changing shoes and removing the small accumulation of letters from her locker, she walked to class 2-2 and sat down, placing her bag beside her chair. She pulled out the clue notecard and centered it on her desk. It was proving itself to be  _much_ more frustrating than the mouse clue. She practically burned a hole through it with her classic interrogatory glare, as if hoping it would fess up and give her a clue. 

She'd tried picking it apart like she had with the last two clues. Nothing.

She'd tried every alphanumeric cipher she'd ever come across, and plenty more. No dice.

She'd tried translating the numbers into several different bases, and tried everything on each. Not a hint of meaning in any of them.

She'd even tried asking Nakayama-sensei, who'd suggested treating it as a set of equations; 75-23-63-74=-85, 9-77-16-52=-136, 26-90-68-25=-157, 6-8-25-53-6=-86... Maybe try the same thing with those numbers? -464... She couldn't weasel any meaning out of that. Or multiplication? 156083120? No.

By the time a week had passed and nothing had worked,  _Naoto Shirogane, prodigy detective_ had run out of ideas. It had happened before, of course, but it was especially frustrating now because this seemed like it should be  _easy._

 _Nothing is what it seems, Naoto,_ she reminded herself for what felt like the millionth time that week. But the words didn't help her think, nor did they bring any ideas.  _Just a thinly veiled excuse for why I haven't worked this out yet._

"Alright, you little punks, listen up!" Kashiwagi barked, leaning very far over her desk and snarling at her students. Naoto always half-expected her to growl out loud whenever she did this. The class leaned back slightly as one, while Kashiwagi jabbed a talon-like fingertip at them. 

"Now, I know you all think school is just an academic prison or torture ground or something for you little brats, and that you don't have a reason to try," she began, surveying the assembled teens with an almost  _predatory_ expression, "but you're going to change your minds right this instant and start putting in some _EFFORT!_ It's performance evaluation week, meaning that us _teachers_ —" she thrust a talon towards her ample cleavage "—are gonna be graded on how _you_ little _snotrags_ —" the talon was once again aimed at the class "—are doing in your _classes!_ "

She leaned back into a standing position, crossing her arms and bunching up her breasts between them.

"Now ordinarily, I'dve just started giving you all A's, but the system's... _Changed_ this year to prevent such clever, ah, _workarounds_." She lowered her arms and moved her feet into an aggressive posture.

"THEREFORE!" She slammed a taloned hand flat on her desk, making the whole class jump at once, while the other one balled itself into a fist at her side. "We teachers will be watching you like  _hawks_ to make sure you're paying attention, and if you're not..." 

Her eyes narrowed to slits and her heavily painted lips peeled back into another snarl. 

"...then the consequences," she hissed vindictively, " _will_ be... _Severe_."

The silence was choking, and nearly every student cowered in their seat.

"Dismissed to study hall until lunch," she spat contemptuously, before stalking loudly out, her stilettos' _clack_ ing telling them when it was safe to speak again.

As he often did when Kashiwagi left them to study, Kanji switched seats with the student who sat between him and Naoto, so that she could help him work or so that they could talk. Today, it was the latter.

"Kashiwagi's in a pretty bad mood t'day, huh." He commented, looking at the vacant teacher's desk. 

"Hm," was Naoto's non-response. She hadn't shown any emotion while Kashiwagi dealt out her verbal whipping, and still hadn't looked up from the clue card. Kanji frowned at her.

"Y'sure yer okay? Y'ain't been too chatty th'last week'r so." 

Naoto didn't respond, eyes wandering to a corner of her desk. Kanji couldn't help but just watch her think. 

Her lips were a soft, pale shade of grapefuit. At the moment, they were relaxed and slightly puckered; she was gently biting the corner of her tongue inside her mouth as she thought. They slipped apart for a moment to let out a sigh, setting her short, dark hair slightly aflutter as the breath passed through it. Her nose was a rounded triangle above her lips, with a sharply defined ridge leading up to just below the inner corners of her eyebrows.

Her eyes... Kanji thought he could spend days just looking at her eyes. They were a stunning shade of deep azure-grey that nearly knocked the wind out of him whenever she met his gaze. They had a light that looked almost like it came from within (prob'ly from that brilliant brain of hers, Kanji figured), and they were more metallic than gleaming or shining. When she was in a good mood, her eyes widened and became bright and clear. When she was troubled, her lashes would flutter down to partly obscure her eyes, which would darken and become downcast. When she was in Detective Shirogane mode, her eyes would narrow and seemed to switch shades of blue between blinks. When she became lost in thought, her head would tilt back to fill her gaze with light, and she opened her eyes wide as though she was admiring a beautiful sky. She also appeared to have the ability to flip a switch and just turn off the light in her eyes, when she needed her expert poker face.

If you spent as much time watching her as Kanji did, you could almost tell what Naoto was thinking. Her nose would scrunch up occasionally as a thought crossed her mind and she considered it. If it seemed likely or accurate, her eyebrows would raise, her eyes widen by a hair, and her lips form a thin line; she'd nudge her cap up a bit, and she would promptly make a detailed note of the idea. On the other hand, if the idea seemed unlikely or bad, then she would purse her lips, her eyebrows would draw together in a frown, she'd close her eyes, pull her cap down slightly, and shake her head; if her pen was still open from a good idea, she'd cap it.

She straightened up and sighed, shaking her head and closing her eyes. Kanji noticed the way she puckered her lips ever so slightly for an instant before she began speaking, as if the words were pushing themselves out of her mouth. A second after she started talking, her eyes blinked open as she turned her head to face him. Her brows were scrunched together and her eyes were dark as she spoke up to him. 

He frowned faintly at her unhappiness. He loved seeing her in her element, like the time a week before, just after she'd found the clue how sitting on the desk before her. He kept feeling like it was his fault she was so frustrated, and, well, he couldn't deny that it kind of was. Even so, a tiny part of him was proud that _he_ , Kanji Tatsumi, village idiot, had confounded her,  _Naoto Shirogane,_ ace Detective Prince.

He thought he heard someone say his name. A moment later, he found himself the recipient of a light, yet painful, slap to the face. He blinked a few times before giving Naoto an indignant glare.

"Wassat for!?" He cried indignantly, drawing annoyed looks and grumbles from some of his classmates.

"I was attempting to confide in you about the vexations of the past week; however, you appeared more interested in... Your own thoughts..." She suddenly blushed and tugged her cap over her eyes. Kanji blushed too, and looked at the floor. 

"Sorry," he said gruffly. "I was just thinkin'..." _How perfect you are, how blessed I am to have met you, how badly I want you to know that I love you and yet how hard it'd be to tell you._ But he couldn't say any of that. _No,_ he remembered with a start, _I'm on my way to telling her. I've just gotta give 'er a hint, help 'er out a bit._

"Jus' thinkin' 'bout how bad I screwed up tha'Periodic _T_ _able_ quiz th'other day."

Naoto froze instantaneously. The hand she'd raised to slap him floated up to grasp at something invisible at about her eye level. Her gaze was distant, however. Her mouth moved indistinctly, perhaps forming words, perhaps not. Finally, after another full minute of gaping, she gasped, 

"K-Kanji-kun! That... That's  _it!!_ " She swiped up the clue card with her raised hand, brandishing it in his face. "The numbers are atomic numbers, so... I'll start with writing the corresponding atomic symbols," she chirped. Kanji didn't think she knew that she chirped. He reckoned he'd get worse than a light slap if he told her. But no matter. The light of investigation was back in her eyes. That's all that mattered to him. He grinned to himself, watching her decode the message without need of a reference Periodic Table. The spelling was clumsy, but hey, that was cause of the code he'd used. Wasn't his fault atomic symbols couldn't spell everything.

"It's trying to say... 'review first Feathermen comic,' I believe," she said, done translating. She smirked. "I suppose that takes care of my plans for the evening." 

"Good luck widdat, I guess," Kanji chuckled. "You always liked the Black Condor, righ'?"

She blushed, but nodded. 

"Correct. And I believe... Your favorite is the Red Falcon, no?"

"Yeah." He grinned, trying to show her there was nothing to be embarrassed about. "Dude's quicker'n the rest, an' real smart, too. Why'd you like BC 'gain?"

Her blush darkened, but she responded without paying it any heed. 

"He is... Tall, and quiet, and... He finds strength where many see only fear and... Loss of control. I always wish—wish _ed_ to emulate him."

Kanji frowned.

"Not'nymore? I still wanna be quicker an' smarter'n I am, like yo—" he clamped a hand over his mouth so he didn't mess everything up right after he'd helped her solve the clue. "I'mean, like Red." 

Naoto hesitated for a good eight or ten seconds before answering.

"I... I...." She shook her head. "I... Think not. It was...  _is_ quite a childish interest, the Feathermen. I am unsure why I continue to pursue it."

Kanji simply looked at her, and said what he was thinking; 

"Ya don' have t'be embarrassed 'bout it. 's a cool show, man, an' the comics're great, too! Y'ain't got nothing t'be ashamed of."

She opened her mouth to argue, but she wasn't sure if she really wanted to, so she just fell silent and nodded. 

They were interrupted by the bell signaling lunch. Kanji went back to his desk to pick up his traditional, hand-painted bento, packed with his cooking, and met Naoto, holding her premade storebought one, at the classroom door.

"The roof?"

"Affirmative. Let's be on our way."

* * *

Naoto nearly caught herself  _running_ to her scooter after school that day, excited not only for the ride home, but for the investigation to be done upon arrival. Her school bag was slung over her shoulder in that lazy way most of her peers employed. She  _smirked,_ trying to give her anticipation an outlet that she could at least obscure with her helmet's visor. Pulling it on and securing the buckle under her chin, she vaulted one leg over the seat, turned the key in the ignition, kicked up the kickstand, and wheeled backwards so she was facing the open school gates.

At this point, there was no smothering the wide grin that was spreading across her face. _Let's behave like an immature hooligan for 5 minutes or so,_ she thought deviously. _That can be fun._

The imminent thrill rising further and further up her throat, Naoto revved her scooter loudly and took off, whooping and yelling loudly as she passed some stunned-looking first-years.  _I believe the phrase is..._

"SO LONG, _SUCKERS!!_ "  _That did_ not  _just come out of my mouth! Hahahahahahahh!!!_ She was much to euphoric to care. 

" _Naoto!?_ What the flying—" A familiar voice...?

 _"SUCK IT, YOSUKE!"_ She cackled, speeding past him and out of sight at 40 MPH (64 KPH). Definitely not legal this near the school. Or anywhere for a scooter, really. She'd... _Modified_ her engine somewhat. But hell, screw what Yosuke thought. This was  _her_ moment; she'd just coolly deny it and shut him down if he brought it up later. 

As she approached her apartment building's sheltered parking lot, she slowed down to a more reasonable 15 MPH (24 KPH) as she located her usual spot and 10 (16) as she swung into it, popped the kickstand down and pulled the key from the ignition. Opening the buckle and taking off her helmet, she used her free hand to lift up her hat while she shook her hair out. After she'd hung the helmet on the handle by its strap, she patted the seat.

"Excellent runs today, Dragger. Now for some investigating."

No one, under any circumstance, at all, would  _ever_ find out that she'd named her scooter Azure Dragon. And especially not that she called it Dragger. No one.

No.  _One.   **Must.**_

**_EVER._ **

**_KNOW._ **

Naoto was genuinely unsure whether her embarrassment at someone learning of this would allow her to maintain consciousness. 

And she  _absolutely did not_ want to faint in front of other people. Or at all, really. Sudden loss of consciousness is a symptom of many serious illnesses, none of which she planned on ever having.

She jogged up the exposed, metal stairs to the second floor, and trotted down the concrete walkway, towards the very last of the doors lined up on her right.

She slowed her careful, light-footed run, cautiously approaching the lightly scuffed, black-painted front door to her apartment. If her assumption was right, it meant the next clue was in her  _personal_ copy of the book. That meant that the culprit was able to get  _inside her apartment,_ which was frankly... Very concerning, now that she actually thought about it. Were they in there right now? Were they waiting for her? What intentions did they have with this little investigation game? If they could get in there all along, then what would be the point of all these clues? To play with her?  _Mock_ her? Perhaps they were _trying_ to unnerve her, to throw her off balance and make her easier to trick. 

She gently wrapped her hand around the doorknob to prevent it from rattling when she unlocked the door. She carefully and _ever so slowly_ slid the key into the lock, hearing one, two, three, four, five, six _kliks_ from the key pins. She stopped and silently exhaled, before taking another deep breath in and out to prevent dizziness. Making as little noise as possible, she  _graaadually_ turned the key, allowing only a nearly silent sliding scrape from the deadbolt and some whispered creaking from the clearly aging springs. She cringed and grim aced slightly at the seemingly deafening _clack_ when the lock yielded. Surely anyone inside would be alerted to her presence now. Just as cautiously as before, she turned the key upright and pulled it out, again grimacing at every gentle rattle of the deadbolt and every creak of the key pin springs. She placed the key back in her pocket.

Taking one more deep breath, she laid a hand on her gun holster. Steeling herself, she _sloooowwwly_ turned the handle, hating every creaking _tink_ of the main spring. When she couldn't turn the handle any more, she began sliding the door open, millimeter by millimeter...

Barely breathing, back nearly flat to the door, she edged leftwards to peer through the crack. No one was there. She barely slipped through, shutting the door behind her. 

No one.

She heard not a single breath, nor door, nor broken glass.

After a quick, thorough check of the apartment, she confirmed that it was indeed empty. Relieved, she approached the bookshelves in the living room. Slipping out one of the slimmer, more worn-looking volumes, she settled down on the couch to read.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DID I DO A GOOD JOB DID I DO A GOOD JOB WITH THAT CLIFFHANGER IN THE BEGINNING
> 
> Ohh man thank you guys so much for your comments last chapter!! I thrive on validation lol bUT NO REALLY feedback is the best gift an author can receive from their readers!! Thanks I love you guys
> 
> Also I kinda stole Neon_Zephyr's headcanon that Naoto loves the adrenaline rush of a motorbike: http://archiveofourown.org/works/2037930/chapters/4428744  
> I just love the idea that she's got a lil thing like that. JL I READ THAT AND I JUST IMAGINED HER RIDING TO SCHOOL AT DOUBLE THE SPEED LIMIT WITHOUT MUFFLERS SHE'S LIKE VVROOOOOOOOOOOMMVRROOOOOO SHE FLIPS OFF THE STUDENTS SHE PASSES LIKE _"SO LONG, SUCKAAAAAAHHS!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!"_
> 
> "REBEL BIKER ASSHOLE NAOTO IS BEST NAOTO HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH"  
> -Nova K. 2017  
> Put this on my tombstone lmfao


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OKAY KIDS! This chapter got split because it was approaching 5,000 words and I didn't want to keep myself or you guys waiting any longer. Sorry for the lack of party here, just let stupid coffee zombie Naoto and overly excited Rise tide you over. There will be party next chapter I promise lol

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some dumb shit happens really fucking early in the morning and I realize that this sort of reads like a filler chapter.  
> Also I make a stupid Love Live! reference.
> 
> EDIT 6/22/2017: Just for the convenience of readers literally everywhere except the USA, I've added KPH equivalents to every MPH measure, °C to every °F measure, and otherwise added metric equivalents to every imperial measurement in the story. Ha the US wants to be a dumb rebel child against the metric system

Naoto awoke suddenly, to the loud, high-pitched, poppy vocals that meant Rise was calling her. Blinking groggily, she pulled out her phone to answer it and glanced at her watch.

"Rise-chan...? It's... 04:19, on a Sunday. Why in heaven's name are you of all people awake...?"

❝NAOTO!!❞ The idol squealed loudly, making the detective flinch and hold the phone away from her ear.

"Rise-chan,  _please._ It is absurdly early, and I slept on the couch. Please just get to the point, for once. And  _quietly_ ," she added, rubbing her eyes and sitting up. She stifled a yawn.

❝Okay, okay,  _fine._ ❞ Naoto could practically see the girl pouting. ❝Guess what's happening this week!?❞

Naoto rolled her eyes. 

" _To the point,_ please, Rise-chan."

❝Yeah, yeah, fine, okay! I'M COMING HOME TO VISIT FOR THE WEEK!! I just got back from a huge world tour, so Inoue-san's giving me a break!! And you won't BELIEVE what Senpai said when I told him!!❞

"Yes?" Naoto asked, yawning again and ambling over to the espresso machine.

❝This week is grading week at his school, and he's got the week off—so HIS PARENTS ARE LETTING HIM VISIT HOME FOR A WEEK!!!❞

"Wait a moment..." Naoto said, caffeine clearing her head somewhat. "Are you implying what I think you're implying...?"

❝Yoouuu've goddit, ace detective!❞ Rise trilled excitedly. ❝I'm planning... An _I.T. PARTY!_ ❞ She sang the last four syllables, rather than speaking them.

A car pulled into the parking lot. Probably Tomoko-san, her neighbor who worked nights at the hospital. He always returned around this time.

"Excellent," Naoto affirmed. "However, why am  _I_ the Inaba member you chose to inform first? Why not Chie-senpai or Yukiko-senpai? In fact, why not just announce it on the group chat?"

She heard a car—it sounded like the same car she'd just heard moments before—exiting the parking lot. She frowned and strode over to the front window, peering out.  _A limousine...? Maybe it was picking up someone who lives on an upper floor._ She turned back to the empty apartment.

❝Becaauuse...❞

She rolled her eyes. 

"Because...?"

"I'M HEEE-EEERE!!!!"

The front door burst open, and Naoto yelled and scrambled back in surprise, and before anyone knew what was happening, the floor was covered in coffee and Naoto had her gun trained on the intruder. Unfazed, Rise pouted, one hand on her hips, the other waving dismissively at the gun.

"Hey now, that's no way to welcome a friend you haven't seen in half a year! Put down that gun this instant, young lady! Gosh,  _really_ now, Shirogane! I say!" The starlet shook her head and blew an exasperated breath out of her small, slightly freckled nose. 

"You really oughta get some more light in here! It's so  _dank!"_ Nutmeg twin-tails bounced as the girl pranced to the panel of four lightswitches by the door and flipped them all up. Gradually, the apartment buzzed, hummed, and flickered to life. The living room ceiling lit up, as did the display lights spotlighting the bookshelves. The porch light buzzed, popped, and crackled awake.

"Much better!" Rise took off her sparkly silver ballet flats and placed them on the small shoe rack beside the door.

Naoto holstered her gun and removed the holster from her leg, setting it on the coffee table. As she moved towards the kitchen to get something with which to wipe up the spilled coffee, Rise plunked herself into the sofa. 

"Coffee, please! You know how I like it," she sang.  _You mean you like your cream and sugar with some coffee?_ Naoto grumbled internally, wadding up some paper towels and setting the espresso machine to a high heat to accomodate for the cool cream in Rise's cup. Naoto could handle the extra heat in her own black coffee; it'd be fine.

Once the floor was dry and their drinks were prepared and set on the coffee table, Naoto sat back down on the couch, now beside Rise.

Who, of course, promptly began to smother her in a gigantic, surprisingly powerful, hug. 

"Yef, yeph, breesay-jahn, i ebph perregty auare obvf haow eggeyedid yoo aref do shfee bee, budf—" she finally succeeded in breaking away, panting; "—that does  _not_ entitle you to murder me." 

Rise grinned deviously.

"Aww, really? I was looking forward to hugging you to death!"

Taking a deep pull on her coffee, Naoto shot an amused half-smile at the strawberry-brunette and shook her head.

"If you were to do that, then who would be left for you to funnel all that energy into?" She immediately answered her own question, "Yu-senpai, I suppose. Or Kanji-kun?"

"Yup! But hey, hey!! Swallow down the rest of that coffee and get dressed, cause we've got a big day ahead of us, missy!" 

After a year and a half of being close with Rise, Naoto had learned long ago that there was no point whatsoever in refusing to cooperate with her. The idol was  _very_ good at getting her way, and although Naoto knew she  _could_ get out of Rise's plan if she was  _really_ against it, she very much liked the demanding popstar, and didn't usually have the heart to shut her down with law enforcement tactics. 

"Very well." She stood, picking up the Feathermen manga she'd fallen asleep reading. Turning to face the bookshelves, she flipped through it, taking a moment to scan over each page. 

 _Ahah!_ Page 78, panel 4 was neatly covered by a sticky note with some scrawled writing on it. She picked up her phone and photographed the page as she found it, close-ups of the note and of the panel beneath it, the shelf as she'd found it the night before, the shelf as it should've been, and, after replacing the book, the spines of the lined-up Feathermen mangas.

Closing up her phone, she left her 3-liter travel mug to fill from the espresso machine before walking down the hall to get dressed in her usual weekend attire.

* * *

Rise's hands came together in an excited clap, jerking Naoto back to full consciousness for a moment before she slid back to just moving alongside the bouncing, chattering idol, who had attached herself to her friend's left arm, while the only thing preventing the monstrous travel mug from slipping out of her other hand was the sturdy, non-slip rubber handle. For christ's sake, Rise had always said, Kanji would make the best detective toolbelt ever—with a built-in custom cupholder—for Naoto in a heartbeat. But, for  _some damn reason,_ Naoto had always refused the idea.

The detetctive habitually raised the cup to her lips every few minutes to take a sip. She'd had a constant, unhealthily large sleep deficit ever since she'd started working full-time five years ago. 

"Here, Naoto, be a good little sleep-zombie and stay here while I go get Kanji." Rise left Naoto, who had stopped, half-awake and even less conscious, when her guide let go. Said guide trotted up to the front door of Tatsumi-ya and knocked gently. Kanji's mother regularly rose at four-thirty, Rise knew, so she'd answer the door. Her gentle face appeared as the door opened. 

"Rise-chan! How wonderful to see you back home. And the young detective, too, I see. Come in, you two. Why are you out so early?"

"Sorry, Tatsumi-san, just dropping by! I've come to pick up Kanji."

"Oh, really? Alright, well, at least come in from the cold for a moment, dear," she smiled at Naoto, Rise vanishing upstairs. Naoto swayed gently on the spot and robotically sipped from her coffee. 

There was a  _thud,_ a squeal, and a loud bellow of "D-DAMMIT, RISE!!" from above, drawing a soft chuckle from Tatsumi-san and a particularly precarious sway from Naoto. Moments later, Rise appeared back downstairs, grinning widely. 

"He'll be down in a moment!" She skipped back to Naoto and reattached herself to the blue-jacketed arm. "Thanks for letting me steal him, Tatsumi-san, and sorry for all the noise so early!"

There was a  _thunkthunkthunkthunkthunkt unkthunk_ as Kanji descended the stairs.

"Oh, no, it's no trouble. It's nice to hear the building so full of life at an early hour; it warms my spirit. Do take care, Kanji-chan, Rise-chan, Naoto-kun!" 

"Yeah, Ma!"

"We will, thanks again!" 

The woman closed her shop's front door, smiling and shaking her head.

"What the  _hell_ 're we doin' outat five in the mornin', Rise!? An' wassup with Naoto?"

"First question? That's a surprise~! Second? She's sleep-deprived as a fact of life and becomes a coffee-robot-zombie whenever I drag her out like this," Rise replied.

"Y'do this onna  _regular basis!?_ I'm gonna have to talk t'you bout not buggin Naoto when she don' wanna be bugged."

He glanced over at her as she took a long draw from her coffee.  _Heck, she mainlines tha' stuff more'n Yosuke-senpai does music._

Looking back to Rise, he asked,

"The heck're we doin' t'day, anyways?"

"I already told you, Kanji, that's a surprise! Hope you've got your wallet, though, cause we're goin' to the station~! Wanna dig out Naoto's wallet for me, hmmm~~?" 

Kanji blushed furiously.

"Sh-shaddup..."

The sun began rising just as they reached the station, just in time for the earliest train to...

"Okina?" Kanji frowned, still confused.

"Yup~!"

"Why?"

"You'll see!"

"Screw you..."

They sat themselves in a booth in the train, a peppy Rise between the aisle and a comatose Naoto, across from an uncomfortable and befuddled Kanji.

Soon a voice crackled to life from the speakers in the ceiling. 

《 _This is the 5:15 train from Yasoinaba to Okina. Repeat, you are aboard the 5:15 train to Okina. Good morning, folks. It's 5:13. Everything is running on time, so we should arrive in Okina City at precisely 6:03. We will be serving breakfast at 5:30, fifteen minutes after we depart. Enjoy your ride!_ 》

Right on cue at 5:15, the train lurched into motion. Rise was busy with some game on her phone, leaving Kanji to... Watch Naoto. She slowly, gradually awakened, one robotic sip of coffee at a time. When the smiley lady came by with a notepad to take their orders for breakfast, he ordered scrambled eggs and toast, and Rise simply requested syrup-drowned pancakes before immediately tuning back into her game, so when the woman said, "anything else, dears?" he ordered Naoto some toaster waffles and a full pot of coffee. 

By the time the conductor notified everyone that they would be arriving in Okina in ten minutes, Rise had devoured her syrup-cakes, and he had finished his own food, as well as refilling Naoto's absolutely  _titanic_ travel mug and wrapping her waffles in napkins.

Naoto yawned, stretched, and said mildly to her idol friend,

"So, what adventure to you plan to take us on today? Did anything—" she yawned again "—exciting happen between when we exited my apartment's parking lot and now? Other than getting on a train to Okina, of course."

She blinked several times in rapid succession, rubbed her knuckles into her eyes, hard, and took several gulps of coffee. 

"How... How is there still so much left in my cup?"

"I gotcha s'more an' refilled it for ya," Kanji said, indicating the near-empty coffee pot on the table. He felt the need to add, "It was filled t'the brim when the waitress brought it."

Naoto chuckled, unabashed.

"I'm sure it was." She topped off her cup with what remained in the pot, and just as she was screwing on the top, the conductor said,

《 _Welcome to Okina City, folks. It's 6:03 on this fine Sunday morning, 58°F/14°C, mostly sunny all day with a high of 69°F/20°C around 15:00. It may get a bit breezy, though, so don't let your guard down! Have a great day._ 》

Now that she'd gotten enough sleep, Naoto stretched again and stood with the familiar professional confidence, stepping after Rise with her coffee... Cistern? Jar? Jug? ...yeah, jug sounded about right. Anyways, she was still holding it. Kanji lumbered after the two girls. 

Once he'd caught up to walk between them, he handed Naoto her two crispy toaster waffles as Rise attached herself to his left arm. 

"Oh... Thank you, Kanji-kun. This was exceptionally thoughtful of you." She smiled at him, making him blush and stare at the concrete they walked on as he stuttered,

"O-oh, nah, 's-'s no prob, man."

"Oh, my, you're so thoughtful, Kanji-'kun'!!" Rise crowed quietly into his ear, so that Naoto couldn't hear. 

"Shuddit," he growled under his breath, gently elbowing her in the ribs. She spoke up.

"Sooo, our BIG reason for being here's not gonna get here till 9," she chirped excitedly, "buuut, I thought we should take a few hours to hang out! We're, like, best friends, right? Let's see a movie together, and get food and go to the arcade!!"

Naoto shook her head with a long-suffering expression.

"Rise, if today isn't worth having been woken up by 'Bloom and Splash' at 4 in the morning, after having slept on the _couch,_ I am not going to be happy with you."

Kanji sniggered.

"She made you set 'er ringtone to BS? Real mature of ya, Rise. She made me set it to 'Soldier Game.'"

Naoto snorted exasperatedly and looked up at the shops ahead. She spotted a Mediterranean restaurant and suggested they stop there for a real breakfast, a suggestion which was met with hearty agreement. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we enjoy:  
> ✪Team bonding time!  
> ✪Some hardcore puzzling through things and Shirogane Detectiveing, ft. A Certain Grey-Haired Protagonist!  
> ✪A sly little beast by the name of Rise Kujikawa!  
> ✪Naoto feeling confused about her feelings!  
> ✪My newfound headcanon that Rise is a huge EDM junkie!!

Three—well, two and a half; Rise was very excited and made them go early—hours later, the trio found themselves back at Okina Station. 

"C'mon, you two, let's go hang out at the shops here till eight-fifty or so, then we gotta get to the ticket gates for Platform Four!"

Kanji and Naoto exchanged contrasting looks; one of understanding, and one of confusion. Naoto shot him another look that said,  _Just play along, it'll be okay._ He grinned, trusting her. 

Rise had gone ahead, so the two looked back at each other.

"Shall we... Purchase some refreshment?" Naoto suggested awkwardly, spotting a general concessions stand beside the ticket gates. 

"Uh... 'Kay?" Kanji answered, much more awkwardly than Naoto and with his face on fire.

They stood uncomfortably for another moment before Naoto hesitantly stepped off in the direction of the stand, Kanji quickly following.

Soon enough, the two found themselves on a bench near the ticket gates leading to and from Platform Four, him holding a hot chocolate, her a freshly refilled coffee, er, jug. While they waited, Naoto decided to pull out her phone and examine the clue.

The sticky note read " _ **eliminate black condor**_ ". She frowned in a combination of contemplation of the message's meaning and and annoyance at the writer's insistence upon killing off her favorite character. 

The panel beneath it read "' ** _Condor! Do_ Ion Track Proton!** _ **' [KRACK] 'YEA!'** "_

_Perhaps a letter-matching puzzle? Or... A letter elimination puzzle would make more sense, given the wording of the clue. Let's try..._

_~~"'~~ _ ~~Condor!~~ ~~Do~~_ I ~~on~~ T ~~rack~~ P ~~ro~~ t ~~on!~~ _ ~~' [KRACK]~~ 'Y ~~EA!'"~~__

That left...  _Oh._

_ITPty_

IT party. Right. _I suppose I now_ _lack any choice on the question of my attendance._

She leaned back in the bench as she pocketed her phone, sighing and scowling at the ceiling.  _The thing is,_ she mused,  _each of_ _the other clues have so far led me directly to the next. However, just pointing to an event that I'm attending isn't really very clear. Perhaps I will find the clue upon arrival or departure? Or, taped to my front door the next day? Based upon the information in Clues #3, #5, and #6, I believe the culprit to be someone on the Investigation Team. Therefore, I wouldn't be surprised if this was simply a... Juvenile, but admittedly very clever, way of forcing me into attending the gathering tonight. If that is indeed the case, I would think that the clue would be supplied after my attendance. The only thing to do now is to wait, I presume._

"Naoto? Kanji?" 

_"SENPAAAAAAAII!!!"_

Rise came barreling out of nowhere to enthusiastically jump onto a confusedly smiling Yu.

"Hey, hey, hey! Don't hurt me, Rise! What're you three doing here?"

Naoto stood, smiling warmly, and strode over to her senpai. Bowing slightly in greeting, she said, 

"Yu-senpai." She straightened. "May I take your bag? You must be tired after your trip."

"S-Senpai! Wh-h-hi!" Kanji nearly dropped his knitting in surprise, standing up to greet their former team leader.

"Er—okay, thanks, N—please don't kill me, Rise—sure, Naoto, that'd be great. And hi, Kanji! But wow, I thought I was going to be the one surprising you guys when I got to Inaba, not the other way around in Okina!"

"I wanted to surprise you, and some of our friends, so we got here early and I brought us here!! Nobody else in Inaba knows but your uncle, though, don't worry~"

Yu shook his head, laughing. 

"Come on, we don't want to miss the next train to Inaba and have to wait here for another hour. Let's go on to Platform 7."

The group of four headed to the indicated platform, Yu with a chattering and giggling Rise clinging to his arm, Naoto walking after them with Yu's bag over her shoulder, and Kanji beside her, trailing just a half-step behind. They all scanned their train pass cards to pass the ticket gates, and boarded the train back to Yasoinaba Station.

Once they were all settled inside, Rise attached to Yu on one side of the booth, and Naoto and Kanji together, facing them, on the other, conversation resumed properly.

"So, uh, Senpai, howsit going in the big city?"

Yu suddenly got a bitter look on his face, which was rare for the usually calm boy. He talked over the conductor's announcement of the destination and departure/arrival times.

"Not... Not well. Not much has changed since you saw me when I came home for Golden Week. My parents seem like they've forgotten who I even  _am._ Not once, _still,_ have they asked about how my year in Inaba went. And you guys know how hard it was to convince them to let me come home before. It took a good month and a half of quiet coercion to extract a slip of the tongue to grant me permission to come this week. And at school, nobody wants to welcome me back with open arms... I basically only have the IT anymore. It's... Honestly, not much different from how it was before last year. But at the same time, now I have friends who are true and love me and a town that's the first place I've really felt at home, and going away from them after a year like the one we spent together feels like... Like..." He cast around helplessly for a metaphor.

The train lurched and began to move.

"Like withdrawal from a drug," Naoto supplied softly. "You'd been holding together fine without it, but once you're given it and you get used to it, having it taken away is physiological torture."

"...yeah. Exactly. Withdrawal. From... From love, I guess. Friendship. Attention."

Naoto nodded understandingly.

"When I went away on that Sapporo case in February, I felt the same thing. I felt so... Empty. I tried to keep as busy as possible, but at night, just before I slept... That's when it was the worst." She looked around at them.

"But at least I spend more time in Inaba than out on cases," she said, the faint reflection of of a smile visible on her lips and in her eyes. "I truly feel for you two. Sometimes, when insomnia strikes, I think of you and imagine what it would be like to return to the type of career I had opted for before Inaba—full-time, only the occasional weekend to spare for a visit to the estate. I think that now, after last year, that life would be too solitary, since I have learned what it is to have friends." 

"It's really not so bad for me!" Rise piped up. "I have some really good old idol friends that I've reunited with. I'm always busy, and I have so many awesome fans!"

Her smile, wide and shining, suddenly softened to become small and sad.

"But... Yeah, I hear you, Naoto. It's on my days off and when I lie down to sleep that I feel lonelier than I ever have before. It's just... So hard to suddenly have friends and then just as suddenly be away from them. Texting and calling is all great, but... It's really just not the same."

All four agreed enthusiastically.

There was a pause.

"We all truly miss you when you are away," Naoto said, looking at her hands on the table. No one replied, but Kanji nodded, also observing his hands.

A while passed without any of them speaking. Naoto eventually pulled out a mystery novel, and Kanji, his knitting. Yu stared out the window, obviously deep in thought. Rise was busy with her phone, one arm still linked with Yu's. Soon enough, they heard the intercom crackle on.

《 _Welcome to Inaba, folks. The time is 10:00 sharp. It's currently 61°F/16°C and mostly sunny. Our forecast has changed to say that it'll clear up later, and your high will be 82°F/28°C at about 16:00, so you can leave those jackets at home! Unlike Okina, you'll be met with only a 2 MPH (3 KPH) breeze, gusting to a maximum of 4 MPH (6 KPH). Take time to enjoy the weather out by the Samegawa! We'll be arriving in about five minutes. Have a terrific Sunday, folks, and thank you for riding!_ 》

The few other passengers around them began to move, preparing to disembark. The four IT kids pulled out of their respective activities and pulled their things together, too.

Within five minutes of the announcement, the train had slowed down significantly and the Inaba downtown shopping district was visible from the passenger windows. 

* * *

Once the quartet reached the shrine, Yu said that he was going to go drop off his bag at the Dojimas' and surprise Nanako. Kanji mentioned dropping into Tatsumi-ya to let his Ma know they were back, and Rise reluctantly broke free of Yu's arm to skitter after Kanji, saying that Inoue-san and her Oba-chan would also appreciate an update on the wayward idol's own whereabouts. This left Naoto to wander back to her apartment, alone.

Upon arriving, she stepped inside and turned on the lights.  _Rise may be right... Using only light from the windows seems gloomy in comparison. Although,_ a new thought struck, troubling her,  _it will raise my electrical bill significantly..._ She decided to compromise, turning all the living room lights off, but moving to the shadowy hallway to turn on the lights there.

Most of the time, she simply used the light that came in though the windows. By sunset she'd usually been in the office for an hour already. For what non-digital work she received, she just used a small desk lamp. However, for the majority of her assignments—whether academic or detective work—she simply worked on her laptop in the otherwise dark room. 

Wandering towards the office, Naoto wondered if she shouldn't take some time now to work through a case or two. Before she could enter, however, a standard beeping ringtone played.  _Yu._

"Yes?"

❝Hey Naoto. Rise's throwing a party tonight, right?❞

"Correct. She called at four this morning to tell me."

She could almost hear the boy rolling his eyes.

❝That girl is too excitable for her own good.❞

"Indeed."

❝So, you're coming, right? We've got to catch up on... Stuff! It's been, what, almost two months?❞

Naoto paused. She supposed that even without the clue demanding she go to the party, it would be a great chance to socialize as a whole team.

"...yes, I will be in attendance of this particular gathering. Apologies for my cancellation last week."

❝Great! By the way, what was that about? You were completely in detective mode; did something happen?❞

"Ah, yes. Nothing serious," she added, at Yu's concerned interjection. "I believe that a fellow team member may be... Playing with me. I have been left a series of riddles and puzzles, each of which leads me to the next. I do not know where they are leading, or for what purpose, but the third clue especially was very revealing, and was my first big hint that the one behind this may be a member of the IT. Now that I know this, I am much more at ease with the whole thing, and am able to simply relish the investigative process." 

Once she finished explaining, Yu spoke.

❝Huh... Heh. Reminds me of those riddles your grandpa left you last year.❞

Naoto smiled in reminiscence. 

"Yes, in fact, that was one of my first thoughts about it."

❝So, would you honor me with the task of assisting with the most recent clue?❞

"Of course. It was a word elimination puzzle left in my personal copy of... Of the..." She blushed, stammering to a halt. Before her senpai could question her, she quickly finished her sentence. 

"Of a book! But that is neither here nor there. I solved the puzzle while waiting at Okina earlier, and it simply said 'IT party.'" She moved to sit down at her desk and uncapped a fountain pen to take notes on a Steno pad as she talked it out. "I do not know when the note was planted in my book, but it was done by someone who, first off, was aware that there was going to be an IT party, and second off, had access to my apartment. Or perhaps the one who authored the puzzle fulfilled the former condition, and the one who planted it, the latter."

❝Mhm... Go on?❞ Yu sounded engaged, possibly taking notes as well.

"Yes... I see several contradictions here. May I ask, when did you tell Rise-chan you were visiting? And when you did, did she immediately mention a party?"

❝I told her about... Hang on...❞ She heard him shift, probably checking the calendar across his room from his desk, then heard light tapping and soft mumbling. Checking his texts with Rise, most likely. ❝Let's see... Today's the 24th... Ah. Found it. So that was, uhh... The 19th. So...❞

"Five days ago."

❝Yeah. She said she was visiting Inaba for the week, and I told her I was too, and she spent a couple messages being excited before saying something to the effect of 'I just had a really great idea, we should have an IT party on Sunday night!'❞

"Ah, perfect. That's precisely what I needed to know. However, this being Rise-chan, I wouldn't trust that she truly had the idea just then. So as of Tuesday the 19th at... What time?"

❝17:47.❞

"As of Tuesday the 19th at 17:47, two people knew about both visits and the party, correct?"

❝Yes. Or, well, I can't speak for who knew about Rise's visit, but...❞

"Knowing her, she would only have told you, Kanji-kun, or myself. We know she told you and not me, and..." She pulled her phone from her ear and began typing a message to Kanji. 

 

 

 

> DID U KNO ABT RISE'S VISIT B4 THIS MORN? PLS RESPOND ASAP

"...I just sent Kanji-kun a text to ask him. Speaking of whom, Kanji-kun is the only visitor I have had recently, and therefore is the most probable planter of the puzzle in the book. He came during lunch break on Saturday the 16th, and there was an amount of time when he was alone in my living room. Oh, but no, Rise-chan, too, was here, and much more recently! She was alone in the living room while I made coffee, with the book in question _open on the couch beside her!_ Pardon me, but my likeliest suspect has changed from Kanji-kun to Rise-chan. It does, however, seem a bit reckless to place the clue in my book the day  _after_ I solved the clue that led me there, does it not? And the next big question is, how did she  _know_ I had solved the previous clue? Kanji-kun was the only one who knew that, so he had to have told her. So, they're working together on this? Also, that would mean that he very likely  _did_ know about her visit beforehand, unless his timing in telling her on the night of her arrival was pure coincidence. Was dragging us all out to Okina simply a ruse to excuse her bursting into my home so early, or did she already have that part planned, and just snagged the chance to place the clue when she came to fetch me?"

❝Naoto.❞ The smile was audible in his voice.

"Yes?" She said absently, scribbling feverishly on the pad to get all her thoughts down.

❝You know how amazing you are when you're this in your element, right? Kanji loves seeing you like this.❞

"Hmm," she replied, not processing his words.

❝You should call him next to explain what you've figured out. He's been the one helping you out, right?❞

"Hum... Yes... Well... Let's see..." She buzzed softly, writing down the conclusion of the evidence so far. "Yes... Alright. Here is my conclusion, based on the evidence we have gathered so far."

❝Let's hear it!❞

"Kanji-kun and Rise-chan are colluding in this project, to unknown ends. Clue #6, the current clue, was recklessly placed in my home by Rise-chan as soon as she could after learning from Kanji-kun that I had solved #5. She came to my home this morning on the pretense of simply picking me up for a trip to Okina, but while I made coffee, she slipped the clue into the still-open Feathermen manga beside her on my couch. As I put it away before getting ready, I flipped through the remainder and found the clue. I took several photographs of the clue and its surroundings. Later, in Okina, when I had some free time, I solved clue #6. It simply told me to attend tonight's party. I assume that the next clue will be provided either as I leave or the next morning. That is all."

❝So the book was a Feathermen manga?❞

Naoto cursed herself for letting that slip.

"...yes."

❝Nice.❞ His tone was not mocking or sarcastic, however. Simply observing a fact and taking it in. 

"Thank you for helping me out with this, Yu-senpai. My head feels much clearer about this now."

❝Of course. See you tonight, Naoto?❞

"Certainly. Good afternoon to you."

❝And you.❞

She lowered the phone from her ear and hung up.  _Perfect. Now I have an idea of what's happening, the party will be the perfect chance to investigate and interview the others._ She glanced at her wrist.  _11:00 already! Perhaps I'll spend, ah... Three hours on casework... Well, no, I could easily manage four and a half. Right, four and a half hours of casework, then I spend a half hour preparing for the party before I head out. I think I'll ride there. Speaking of, where_ is  _this happening?_

 

 

 

> WHER WILL PRTY B

She set her phone down on the desk and had barely opened the first case file before it buzzed against the wood. 

 

 

 

> hiiiiiiii naoto!! Party is @ a small barn i rented for us to use!! just take the main road out of inaba, AWAY from the highway, go abt 2.5 mi (4 km), then take the driveway on your left with the party sign on the gate!! can't wait 2 c u there!!!! (≧∇≦)b
> 
> THX. U 2. WHT TIME?
> 
> 17:15 should be plenty early!!
> 
> K. C U THEN.
> 
> See you~!!!! (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧ CAN'T WAIT~~~!!!!!!!

Naoto smiled at the excitable idol's anticipation, put her phone in her pocket, and set to work.

* * *

 

_Perhaps... The collared blue shirt would be colorful enough? It's late June, but it still dips into the mid 50s (~12-14°C) at night... I can simply roll the sleeves down, though. I should still bring my jacket, however, especially if I am driving there._

The detective stood before her bathroom mirror—the only mirror in the apartment—and frowned, nodding. 

"...yes. Yes, this will do quite nicely." She had spent almost an hour trying to find suitable "party clothes" among her wardrobe of white collared shirts and dark blue and black professionalwear. She finally came across her outfit from the concert she had done with Risette and Kanamin Kitchen. She took pieces of that and pieces of some other things to end up with a nice enough outfit. A lighter blue collared shirt with sleeves that could be rolled up and fastened to 3/4 length (which she did; it was a hot day), a yellow bandana-like necktie, black slacks, medium blue platform boots with navy blue soles and laces, and a black coat that was shorter than her usual navy blue one, but that looked essentially the same. And, of course, her hat.

In other words, nice and semi-formal, until she took her coat off.

There were still 30 minutes left until she had to depart, and she was antsy.  _I suppose... I can just leave early and do some cruising around until I need to head out of town._

After gathering her wallet and phone and locking up, she headed down to the parking garage. Unstrapping a makeshift muffler from her cargo rack, she slipped it over the engine and strapped it in place. It worked well enough for the scooter not to be conspicuously loud. She fatened her helmet on under her chin, pulled out her keys, started the engine, and headed out.

For some reason, she found herself heading towards the shopping district. Before she realized anything more, she found herself looking at Tatsumi Fabrics, and up, at what she knew to be the living room window.  _I wonder if he's up there's now... I wonder if he's thinking about me._

That last thought slipped unbidden from her mind, and she shook her head slowly, looking at the ground.  _Why should I care if Kanji-kun is thinking about me? I... What?_

She had started back off, very slowly, bogged down by her thoughts, when she heard a shout and some clattering from behind. 

"NAOTO! Wait up!"

A flustered and rushed-looking Kanji appeared alongside her on his bicycle.

"Kanji-kun." She nodded a greeting.

"Hey! You goin' out to the party?"

"That is affirmative."

"Uh."

She smiled a little and adjusted her wording.

"Yes."

"Ah. Cool! So, uh. You wanna head over t'gether?"

Naoto considered. On the one hand, she wanted to get a kick out of joyriding her way there. On the other, Kanji was a teammate with whom she had not spent a lot of time outside of the TV, with the exception of studying. It would be adventageous to accompany him on the trip to the party. She could take her scooter slowly enough for him to keep up.

"Yes," she finally answered, and gave him a faint smile. "That sounds good."

Relief flooded his face and he grinned. 

"Cool. Thoughtcha were gonna say no for a second there."

Naoto flushed and bowed her head, tugging down her helmet's visor.  _Was I really that transparent?_  

"Let us depart," she muttered, and took off. She started at 20 mph, but soon slowed to 12 or 15 and waited for Kanji to catch up.

She could admit that in the past couple of weeks, something had... Changed between them. Well, maybe not him, but _she_ at least noticed that when he approached, she tended to speak even more eloquently than usual (which usually just ended up confusing him). Her skin also tingled slightly as if she were cold, yet she would feel disconcertingly warm. At first she was concerned that she was falling ill, but as the symptoms persisted, and as they only showed themselves when Kanji was around, she shrugged it off and pushed it to the back of her mind.

"Y'okay?" Kanji sounded concerned when he spoke up from beside her.

"Yes. I am simply—That is—Contemplating various disruptions of my livelihood."

He looked blank.

"Thinking about..." She paused, trying to find the right word.

"...issues. In my life."

"Wha—What issues!? I toldja ta lemme know if y'were bein' bullied again! Whozzit this time!?"

"No, no! I am simply—I mean to say, I—I cannot exactly—It is not—"

_I cannot just tell him about how I've been feeling around him. He's emotional intelligence is much better than mine. He may understand it while I do not; what if it is something that is damaging to our friendship? I cannot allow that to happen._

"I—Er—Oh, dear, I am sorry, Kanji-kun, but I just recalled that I promised to help Rise-chan set up for the party! I—I've gotta go!"

She accelerated so that he couldn't keep up, ignoring him shouting after her. 

_Perhaps I shall confide in Yu-senpai while he is here. He understands these things better than I, and he can at least be trusted not to tell anyone what I confide in him._

Soon enough, she pulled into a driveway on the left which was marked with a large _PARTY_ sign. Unsurprisingly, the only two there were Rise and Yu. He was holding her up while she taped holiday lights around the barn door. The building was indeed small—barely bigger and taller than a stable, really. 

"Hiii, Naoto~!!" Rise called from up high, waggling her well-manicured fingers down at the detective, who was pulling off her helmet and resting it on her parked scooter. She looked over and suppressed a pity laugh at the desperate, pleading look Yu gave her.

"Someone has to do it," she mouthed, shaking her head as she took off her coat and draped it over her arm.

"Okay, Senpai, you can put me down now~" the idol sang. The look on Yu's face was not unlike that of a rat who had escaped a cat's den. He looked almost like he was about to flee.

"Dang, gurl! You look sharp!" The young celebrity said, looking her up and down. 

"Indeed. Shall we go in?" She said, brushing off the comment. 

"Yes, let's," Yu agreed quickly, before Rise could protest. 

As she pulled one of the large doors open, the brunette chirped, 

"I thought you'd be the first one here! Guess I was right~!"

"Kanji-kun was right behind me," Naoto replied, finding a coathook almost immediately upon entering. Turning to face the room at large, she blinked and raised her eyebrows.

The barn was surprisingly well-decorated. More blue and red holiday lights were strung above them, between what looked like former hay storage shelves. In the center hung a disco ball, spinning slowly and casting flecks of blue and red everywhere. Each corner held a table and three chairs. Beneath the old hay lofts stood refreshment tables, lit by small, electric Chinese lanterns. Speakers sat at each corner of the dance floor. 

"Who controls the music?" She inquired of Rise. 

The idol held up her phone and grinned. "I do, silly! The speakers are wireless." 

Yu groaned, but Rise pretended not to hear as the door opened again. 

"Kanjiiii!! Hiii!" Rise sang, skipping over and hugging him. Naoto felt her stomach twist slightly as the girl flung her arms around Kanji. He grumbled and gently pushes her off.

"'S a nice setup y'got," he remarked, looking around at the room. 

"Agreed. It's truly dumbfounding what an idol's assets can achieve, is it not?"

"Y-yeah..." Desperate to avoid talking to her, he quickly struck up a conversation with Rise. Seeing an opportunity, she approached Yu. 

"Care to sit?" She asked, motioning to one of the corner tables.

"Please," he replied, and walked with her to the indicated table.

Once they were seated, he spoke.

"You wanted to discuss something away from Kanji and Rise?"

"Yes. You are as perceptive as ever, Yu-senpai."

"Not as much as you."

"Yes. Well." She smiled before continuing. "In any case, you are correct."

She lowered her voice a bit and glanced back at Kanji, who was still talking to Rise.

"It's really more that I wanted to discuss something  _about_ Kanji-kun."

Yu looked unsurprised, and nodded.

"Go on."

"Well... I was hoping I could get someone with a greater emotional intelligence than myself to bounce this off of. Or, to help explain it." She folded her hands on the tabletop and held her senpai's gaze. 

"In the past week and a half or so, I have noticed a certain set of... _Symptoms_ , which arise when—and  _only_ when—Tatsumi-kun is nearby. Slight dizziness, occasional confusion... I subconsciously make an attempt to speak even more eloquently than usual when I converse with him. My skin becomes tingly, as though I am cold, yet I will feel unusually warm. And just a moment ago, when Rise-chan hugged him, my stomach seemed to tense in a most unusual way."

She sighed, removed her hat, and buried her hands in her hair, elbows on the table.

"I simply... I am confused, Senpai, and I am still quite unskilled in the realm of emotions. Can you help?"

"Oh, Naoto... I knew it. It's really very simple."

Naoto looked up at him, befuddled, and found her senpai smiling gently. 

"What... Do you think?"

"Naoto... You're crushing on Kanji."

"I... Come again?"

Yu shook his head, laughing softly. 

"You  _like_ Kanji. But not just platonically—you like him romantically."

He waited patiently while she sat in silence, staring at her cap on the table and trying to work out what his words meant. Eventually, she spoke again.

"So... What now? If I do have a..." She shivered slightly. "...a  _crush_ on Tatsumi-kun, then... What is my best course of action?"

"Well... That's up to you. You could let it stew for years on end, torturing yourself into madness with the pain of unrequited love," he said, grinning amusedly. "Or... You can just talk to him. Tell him how you feel. It can be really, really hard to work up the courage to confess, but... I'm not sure it would go over too badly."

She was silent for another few moments.

"You... You're certain?"

"One hundred percent. Or," he added as an afterthought, "maybe just ninety-nine. Gotta give myself a  _little_ margin for error."

This made the detective smile, if only a little.

"Oh, come on, it's not the end of the world. On the contrary, you should be happy! You're alive! You're growing up and experiencing life! It's just really hard because you haven't been around others your age for the first half of the most emotionally intense part of life, and here now all of a sudden you were thrust back into it last year. You're still in shock, really. It may take a while, but... To be honest, I think Kanji's a great place to start. He hates hurting people's feelings, and he's not the best at this stuff either."

He looked at Naoto, then Kanji, and back to Naoto. 

"You two just... Fit."

She sat for a long moment.

"...thank you, Yu-senpai. Now that I have a name for this feeling... I think it may be easier to handle."

Yu laughed and stood up.

"Well, maybe not easier to  _handle,_ but at least easier to understand. I'm gonna go join the party, but I hope you can figure this out now."

She thanked him again as he strode off to jovially greet the newly arrived Yosuke. She spent several minutes simply observing the team. As she watched, Chie and Yukiko entered, hand-in-hand as usual, and greeted everyone enthusiastically. Rise was back on Yu's arm, chattering brightly with the other two girls. Meanwhile, Yu talked to Yosuke, huge grins on both boys' faces.  _Ecstatic to see each other again,_ Naoto thought, watching them walk together, still deep in discussion, to get snacks once Yu gently removed Rise from his arm. Finally, Teddie's arrival drew her attention back to the door, and a final round of greetings met him as he traipsed over to the girls. Naoto heard him cry, "Yosuke-chan made me walk!!" This caused Yosuke to look over at him and yell, "dude, it was only, like, two and a half miles! And it's your fault anyways, you were the one that knocked over that display and got me in trouble with Dad!" "But Yooosuke-chaaan!!!" "Shut up, bear, I swear to god, one of these days..." The conversation continued in a similar vein until Yu finally stepped in, master peacekeeper that he was, and shut down their bickering. Yosuke, annoyed, turned back to his conversation with the silver-haired boy, while Teddie skipped across the room to the drinks table and made a beeline for the punch bowl.

Her observations were quietly interrupted by the scraping of a chair being pulled out and the huff of someone large sitting down.

"Punch?"

It was Kanji, and he had brought two cups of punch to the table.

"Thank you," Naoto said, smiling and taking the offered cup.

"Thought ya looked a bit lonely over here, an i's not like I 'ad anybody ta talk to, so I thought I'd come keep ya company."

"That was very thoughtful of you, Kanji-kun," she replied, making a conscious effort to keep her vocabulary at an everyday level. "I appreciate it."

"So, uh... Wha' were ya talkin' ta Senpai about?" 

"Oh, ah... Nothing of great import. Simply seeking his thoughts on a, um, a case."

"Huh. Anythin' I wanna stick my nose in, or izzis one I should leave to the team brainiacs?" He looked slightly hurt, despite his brusque tone. He was trying to hide it, but he couldn't fool Naoto. She frowned disapprovingly.

"First of all, I did not choose to seek help from him over you because he is  _smarter_ than you. In fact, I think that your emotional and spatial intelligence far outranks that of anyone else on the team. He and I are more logical, and that is what this particular case required. Because of this, second of all, I dislike it when you act as though you are somehow less intelligent than the rest of us. It... Upsets me to see you insult yourself, because I see more than that in you."

Kanji, for his part, promptly blushed and somehow nearly knocked over his cup without moving his arms. Once he was done flailing in an attempt to prevent it from spilling, he looked around at her wildly before staring at some point above her head, face still flushed deeply. 

"Er—I—W'll—Gah, I'm—" He continued stuttering for a full minute. Concerned, Naoto broke in, giving him a searching look.

"Have—Did I say something... Wrong?"

This, apparently, was _not_ the right thing to say. He immediately began to panic again.

"Nah—No, I jus'—I mean, i's—I's jus' tha'—" 

After another thirty seconds of this, he slumped.

"Imma go refill my punch... You wan' more?"

"Yes, please."

She offered her now-empty cup, and he took it and jogged to the drinks table. Her eyes lingered on his back as he went. Then they wandered to the snack table, where Yu caught her eyes and winked. Next her gaze floated to Teddie and the other girls, who had pulled him up an extra chair at the corner table adjacent to her own. He had fetched them all drinks.

"'Ere ya go."

Kanji had returned, and he had once again brought punch. She nodded in thanks and took a sip before looking back out over the room. He seemed content to simply sit in silence with her.

Soon enough, the light from outside began to wane and the small lanterns in the middle of each corner table came to life. Naoto noticed a giggling Rise pulling Chie and Yukiko onto the dance floor. The idol pulled out her phone and pressed a few buttons, and catchy electronic dance music began to play. Naoto stood to go refill her punch. As she made her way to the drinks table, she looked out at her friends and almost grinned. She heard a Rise-like voice echoing in her mind.

 _Just_... _Let go for once, Naoto. Have a little fun. Be a teenager. Come and dance._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if anything about Okina City or the train in this or the previous chapter is weird or just straight up not actually a thing; I've lived in an American town of 7,000 my whole life and go to the city maybe once a year so I don't really understand urban areas let alone modern train stations or trains lol. I mean the big tourist thing in my town and the next one over is the restored historical trains and train stations from the 1800s but I've only been on it once, there's only one set of tracks going both ways, you pay a human at a little booth at the entrance, and also they're FROM THE 1800S, so. I tried to think of what would be logical and what I've seen in anime and movies and books (various anime, The Polar Express, and the Harry Potter movies/books hahah) and such but I dunno if it's right sooo yeah. Just lemme know heh
> 
> Headcanon that Yu's parents are strict, I-choose-what-you-do-with-your-life-because-I'm-your-parent-and-I-know-what's-best assholes, and that Yu wants to go into psychology, borrowed from the great **JudasComplex** 's amazing fic "Get It Back To Good" (which you should ABSOLUTELY 100% go read, as well as the rest of JC's series "The Detective And The Delinquent" because it's **_fantastic_** )! 
> 
> I'm developing a habit of taking headcanons from other people's fics is this a bad thing


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ✪More team bonding time!  
> ✪Everyone is afraid of angry Naoto!  
> ✪(UNINTENTIONAL) Underage drinking! (Not a good thing! At all! A very bad idea! It's very illegal! Don't do it!)  
> ✪Some more shattered speed limits, courtesy of our very own Detective Prince and Junes heir! (Also very illegal! Also a very bad idea! Very! Don't do this either!)  
> ✪Drunk driving! (OKAY YOU GUYS. I AM 1010%. DEAD. SERIOUS. DO **NOT** UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES DO THIS. THESE ARE STUPID TEENAGERS AND THEY DIDN'T MEAN TO GET DRUNK, LET ALONE DRIVE WHILE DRUNK. No one gets hurt here, but IRL, people do. Just a lil PSA from your friendly neighborhood fanfic author.)  
>  ✪Kanji carries drunk Noot home!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's gonna be some jumping around between POVs this chapter, hope you don't mind!  
> Sorry if our lil noot is super ooc at times, but I blame the alcohol.

Naoto drained her freshly refilled cup of punch before throwing it away. She popped her wrists, neck, and shoulders, and shook herself loose.  _Okay, Shirogane. You can do this. Just stepping in time to the music, right? It's simple. ...right?_

Cautiously, she stepped onto the dance floor. Rise, of course, noticed her instantly. Giggling hysterically, the idol took hold of Naoto's wrist and dragged her, stumbling, into the middle of the room to join Chie and Yukiko.

"C'MON, NAOTO!! LET'S DANCE!" Rise shouted over the music, face pink from laughing, though it was hard to tell in the blue and red lighting. She grabbed hold of the detective's other wrist and guided her, moving to the beat. Naoto soon felt herself doing the same, her head and shoulders bobbing back and forth. It was not long before she broke away from the idol and began moving on her own. Her legs stepped seemingly of their own accord, her hips swaying along. Her arms whirled around her. She remembered the last time she had worn this shirt and laughed out loud.

"How could I forget!? This is... Fantastic!"

"Right!?" Rise spun past her, also laughing.

"Wow, Naoto-chan, you're good!" Chie called from several feet away as the song ended.

"Am I really?" Naoto beamed, panting.

"Yes! Have some punch, dancing takes a lot out of you." Yukiko said, handing her a cup.

"Thanks, Senpai," Naoto said, before downing the cup in one gulp. She shot Kanji a grin, and his stunned expression at her enthusiasm caused her to laugh again as the next song began.

Yosuke soon shod his sweatshirt and jumped onto the dancefloor with the girls, followed quickly by Teddie and then Yu. As the song began to end, Kanji, realizing he was the odd man out, jumped in too. Between songs, everyone would grab a cup of punch, cola, or water. 

She quickly shrugged off all conscious thought and kept dancing into the night. Finally, after perhaps 20 5-minute songs, she flopped back into her seat, panting and smiling ear-to-ear. Slowly, her mind came back. 

_Wh... What's happened to me...? Normally I'd be... Thinking... Not... Wait... Why..._

She shot upright a second too late after she realized, smile completely gone.  _Delayed reactions... Check._ She closed her eyes and tried to touch the tip of her nose, but hit the side instead.  _Reduced... Wha's the word...? Spatial... Awareness...? Whatever, check. And poor memory recall, check._ She stood, wavering slightly, and pulled out her phone. She winced at the bright screen, and passingly noticed that the time was 21:56.  _Slight dizziness... Sensitivity to light... Two checks._

_Shit._

_I'm drunk._

Carefully regaining her balance, she stalked over to Rise, snatched the idol's pink phone, and muted the music. The moment they looked at her, the rest of the team could tell that this was not the moment to question her.

" _Who."_ She seethed through gritted teeth, squinting around the room at each and every one of them. " _Spiked_. The _damn_. _Punch_."

Everyone was silent. 

Eventually, someone—she couldn't quite tell who—whispered,

"I-it was Yosuke's idea...!"

The accused looked around at them all, wide-eyed.

"I—No, you don't—It wasn't me! The only—" He shrunk away from the slowly and threateningly approaching Naoto. He attempted to hide behind Yu, but Yu shook his head and dashed to the side.

"You're on your own this time, partner! I want no part in Drunk Naoto's Wrath!"

"Are you kidding, dude!?" The now-alone Yosuke looked around desperately for help—but none came. A few whispers of, "Come on, Naoto-chan..." and "It's not that bad, right...?" came from the girls, but Naoto paid them no heed. Soon she was nose-to-nose with poor Yosuke, who was practically shaking with fear. And she had gotten a bright idea.

"How about this," she hissed. "We have a scooter race. Finish line is the Inaba city limit sign. You win, then I say nothing about this and just gotta live with it. I win, then you owe me _big time,_ you little bitch."

Yosuke looked around desperately for support, but again, no one stepped up. Yu whispered,

"Sorry, bro... Looks like you'll have to go with it."

At that, the brunette slumped.

"Fine! Okay, okay, I'll do whatever, just...! Don't hurt me...!!" 

Naoto grinned evilly.

"Excellent. Let's get going, punk." She pulled her coat from its hook on the way out and put it on, struggling slightly to button it up.

**< (Kanji)**

Kanji walked nervously alongside Rise.

"'S like... She's talkin' in a weird combination of 'er usual mumbo-jumbo an' then some normal talk. 'S real weird t'hear..."

"Yeah, really," the girl replied nervously. "I just worry about them driving drunk, cause I think Yosuke had some punch, too..."

Up ahead, Yu apparently had the same concern, and was trying fervently to talk Naoto out of it. She wasn't listening. Surprisingly, though, when he approached Yosuke, he didn't have much more success; Kanji heard the mop-head saying, "sorry, partner, but my honor's on the line here. Can't back out now." Yu gestured helplessly before falling back to walk alongside Rise and Kanji.

"Nothing?" Rise asked hopelessly. Yu simply shook his head. 

"We'll just have to do what we can to make sure they don't hurt themselves," he said. Kanji looked quickly at Naoto, who was strapping on her helmet and pulling down the visor. She jumped into her scooter, flipped back the kickstand, and started it up. It revved much louder than Yosuke's did. 

"'Ey, wait!" Kanji leapt onto his bike, hastily fastening his helmet. "Imma go ta tha city limit sign so someone'll be there ta see who wins!" Everyone but Naoto and Yosuke heard the unsaid addendum,  _and to make sure I'm there if someone gets hurt._ He sped off. 

**< (Rise)**

Yu ran over to the road and drew a starting line. Rise's phone rang in Naoto's pocket, and the former made a mad dash to swipe it before the detective could do anything.

"Kanji! What's happening?"

❝I'm at the sign! They... They c'n start!❞

"Alright! I'll count down now."

She turned to the two racers, both now at the starting line.

"You sure we can't talk you two outta this?"

The look Naoto shot her was enough of an answer.

"Alright... I can't believe we're letting you do this..." She cleared her throat and used her powerful idol's voice.

"FIVE! FOUR! THREE!  _TWO! ONE! **GO!!** " _

Naoto had an instant lead on Yosuke.  _She looks like she's been driving drunk her whole life,_ Rise thought.

**< (Naoto)**

Naoto was making a desperate attempt to keep firm control of her breath. She feared she would lose her balance of she lost her focus. No time to have fun here.  _What the_ hell  _am I doing!? Not only am I streetracing, not only am I doing it on an unpaved road, not only am I doing it AFTER DARK, but I'm doing it_ DRUNK!!  _But... Pigs'll fly before I give up or lose... I can't stop now!_

**< (Yu)**

At the starting line, everyone stood still with baited breath. The sound of the engines faded and eventually disappeared in the distance.

"They'll be okay, right?" Rise asked in a small voice, hugging Yu from the side and looking in the direction the two scooters had gone. He laid a hand on her back and stared after his two teammates.

"Yeah. I'm... Kanji will make sure Naoto's safe, and I honestly think Yosuke would rather be under Naoto's thumb with a damaged ego than get off scot-free with a broken neck. They'll be... Fine."

She buried her face in his side before he heard a muffled whisper.

"Okay." Yu glanced to the side and saw Chie and Yukiko huddled close together, clearly also worried. Teddie hugged them too. He probably didn't really know what was going on, but he could sense the others' worry and was trying to be there for them.

**< (Kanji)**

Kanji heard engines approaching. Because of the difference in volume between the two scooters, he couldn't tell which was closer, but he soon saw lights nearing. He sat on his bike and plastered himself against the road side of the fence, ready to chase Naoto to make sure she stopped safely. 

**< (Naoto)**

Holy shit hol _y shit holy shit holy s **hiiiit**_

It took her several seconds to register that she was past the city limit sign, at which point she was almost back in Inaba. Finally, another ten seconds after she hit the brakes as hard as she possibly could, she very forcefully jerked to a stop, easily toppling from the scooter and hitting the ground.

**< (Kanji)**

As she passed him, he rocketed off after her as fast as his legs could propel the bycicle. It took him a good 30 seconds or so to catch up with her, collapsed on the ground. 

 " _NAOTO!_ You okay!? Oh, shit, shit, Naoto, I knew ya shouldn'a done that, gahh, shit..."

He was cut off by a soft mumble. 

"'Sokay... 'm just... Tired. 'M un...undij... Undinjerd. Le's... Go home."

Kanji felt the stress pour out of him.  _She's okay. It's okay._ He gently slipped one arm under her back and one under her knees, picked her up bridal-style, and stood. Turning, he stopped for a moment and frowned before setting her down to lean his bicycle and her scooter against the fence. He removed her helmet and set it on her scooter before picking her back up and walking back in the direction they'd come. 

His phone rang several minutes later. _Rise._ With some difficulty, he shifted Naoto in his arms and pulled out his phone.

❝What's going on!?❞

"'Sokay, 'sall okay, Rise. I got Naoto, an' I'm lookin' fer Yosuke-senpai. Couldja work somethin' out with the others so tha' somebody c'n take my bike t'the shop an' somebody c'n take Naoto's scooter t'her 'partment? I gotta carry'er back t'town. She's asleep."

❝Oh my gosh, thank goodness she's okay! Yeah, I'll get Chie and Yukiko to do it. What about Yosuke?❞

"Dunno. I... Oh, here'e is. Yosuke-senpai? C'n you get yourself home?" Kanji had spotted a shadowy figure on a scooter, leaned against the fence beside the city limit sign. Yosuke grunted.

"Hhah... Yeah... Just gimme awhile... To take in everything that just happened. I'll be fine..." He waved Kanji off weakly.

Yu apparently now had Rise's phone, and had heard what Yosuke said.

❝Heh... He'll be fine, Kanji. I think the only thing he bruised is his pride. We'll figure everything else out. Where are the bike and scooter?❞

"'Bout a quarter-mile past the city limit sign... Halfway b'tween the sign an'the edge'a town."

❝Okay. Thanks a million, Kanji.❞

"O'course."

The call ended, and Kanji put his phone back in his pocket. Turning around to walk back towards town, he shifted Naoto against him so that his right arm was beneath her thighs and his left held her torso against him. 

"Naoto," he murmured, squeezing her waist slightly to get her attention.

"Hmm..."

"Couldja... Wrap yer arms 'round... 'Round my neck so I c'n holdja up better." 

"Mmkay," she mumbled, slipping her arms out from between their chests and up to hug his neck. Her chin rested on his left shoulder. Suddenly realizing what was going on, he halted abruptly and stiffened. He stared, wide-eyed and crimson-faced, into the darkness directly ahead.  _H-h... Holy... Holy shit. I am_ holding Naoto Shirogane,  _and she's_ LETTING ME.  _I mean, granted, she is drunk, but... It's gotta mean something, right...? Right?_

Naoto, for her part, was now looking blearily up at him.

"Kanji...kun...? Why'd you... Stop...?"

"Er," he grunted, before snapping, "N-nothin'. Le's go," and hurriedly starting to walk again. Naoto hummed quietly and snuggled into his neck. He wanted desperately to stop right there, drop her, and run as far and as fast as possible into one of the rice fields on either side, but there was no way he could do that. No, he had to get her back home safe.  _Even if she is being as distracting as she could possibly be,_ he thought, feeling her breath on his collarbone.

His phone rang again, and he moved his left arm to support her legs while he answered the call with his right.

❝Kanji-chan?❞

"Yeah, Ma."

❝I am becoming a bit worried. When will you be home? It is quite late, you know.❞

"Yeah, yeah, I know! Er—listen, Ma, could I stay over at Yu-senpai's place tonight? I'll drop by home an' get my school stuff now."

❝...oh, alright,❞ she said, after a moment of consideration. ❝But don't stay up any later than you have to, okay?❞

"We won', arigh'?! I'll be home t'get my stuff soon."

❝Okay, Kanji-chan.❞

He grunted.

"Bye," he muttered, before hanging up.  _Ol' bat..._

Just as he was putting his phone back in his pocket, he hit the paved main road of Inaba and remembered that he could hardly walk into the shop carrying a sleeping Naoto. Knowing the old bag, she'd immediately work out exactly what'd happened, right down to the nitty-grittiest details. He pulled his hand back out of his pocket and called Chie.

❝Yeah, Kanji-kun?❞

"Gotta ask ya ta do somethin' for me."

❝What's up?❞

"I told the old bat that I'm spendin' the night at Senpai's house. 'Course, I'm really spendin' the night at Naoto's, so... I—I mean, not fer—Just cause, I just wanna—So th't, I mean, just—Just so she's—"

❝It's okay, Kanji-kun, I get it. You wanna watch over her for the night,❞ his Senpai cut in quietly. ❝Here, I'll just, er—❞ Kanji heard a grunt, a loud yelp of pain, and a  _thud._  ❝— _borrow_ Yosuke's scooter real quick. Yukiko, you can haul him the rest of the way to the bike and the other scooter...? Great. Okay, I'll be there in a sec, Kanji-kun, just stay where you are. Uh, where are you?❞

"Edge of town."

❝Great. Be there in a sec.❞ She hung up before he could say any more. He slipped his phone back in his pocket and shifted Naoto back to his right arm, holding her securely against him. Without realizing it, he began gently rocking back and forth.

Soon enough, he heard the engine of Naoto's scooter approaching, and not long after, he spotted a green figure riding towards them. Chie came to a  _crunch_ ing halt on the gravel beside them and grinned.

"Figured I'd swap for her scooter, since we're goin' to her place anyways, right? I'll hold her while you go in the shop, and then we'll go back to her apartment. Yukiko'll run your bike over there, too," she added.

"Man, thanks, Senpai... You two're great," he said.

"D'aww, you're welcome! Here, hop on. This thing's more than powerful enough to carry three. Just hold on around my waist and pin her between us, eh? I won't go too fast!" She gave an ominously toothy grin.

"Uh-okay..." Kanji said, nervously climbing on behind the sporty girl. She revved the scooter and sped off, forcing him to cling to her waist to keep himself—and Naoto—from being sent flying.

After what felt like an hour of whistling speed, Chie began to slow down. Kanji opened his eyes to the familiar main street of the shopping district. Eventually, she stopped in front of Tatsumi Fabrics. Kanji clambered off the scooter.

"Okay, Kanji-kun, I'll circle for a bit until you come back out. Pass me Naoto-kun, aright?" She held out her arms to take the smaller girl, using a foot to crutch the two-wheeler upright. Kanji unintentionally hesitated for a moment and tightened his grip on the girl in his arms. Chie grinned.

"C'mon, Kanji, I'll keep her safe. I'll give her right back when you come back out."

Kanji blushed violently and shoved Naoto onto Chie before all but running into the shop. Chie chuckled and shook her head. The young tailor was hopelessly in love with the small detective. The athletic girl could only hope he'd work up the nerve to confess sometime soon.

Clutching the softly mumbling blue-capped girl against her, she cruised away to circle the block until Kanji returned. Shortly afterwards, he appeared at the front door and leapt onto the scooter before it was even fully stopped and hissed, 

"Go, go!! She's watchin'!" Thank god Naoto's and Yu's places were in the same general direction from the textile shop, else his mother might get more suspicious than she already was. Chie sped off, clutching Naoto against her and clenching her teeth so as not to lose her focus on driving one-handed. When they were finally out of earshot, she slowed down and stopped. 

"Here," she said, turning around and bracing the scooter with one foot as she lifted Naoto. Kanji leapt up and snatched the small girl back. He looked down the dark street and grunted.

"We c'd just walk there at this point," he said in a low voice, lest he disturb the girl in his arms any more. "It'd be quieter."

Chie paused and squinted down the street as well before making a small noise of agreement and stopping the engine. Hopping off, she began to walk the scooter alongside her as Kanji walked with Naoto in his arms. The blue-clad teen mumbled quietly again and clung to Kanji's jacket. He spoke quietly in an attempt to soothe her.

"'Sokay... We're takin' you home. Yeah, I know, I'm tired too... It's okay, 'sokay... We're goin' home now... So don' be upset 'bout it... I's arigh'... I's okay..." He gently rocked her side to side. Chie smiled as she watched the burly young man caring so kindly for his crush.

"So... Kanji-kun."

"Huh?" 

"Are you gonna confess anytime soon?"

Kanji opened his mouth to retort, but quickly shut it and looked away, blushing.

"...y-yeah."

Chie hadn't been expecting that. Her eyebrows shot up and she leaned in towards Kanji.

"Sounds like you've got a plan!"

"Y-yea—I mean, shaddup, Senpai!" Kanji grumbled, hurrying ahead among Chie's friendly, teasing laughter.

They quickly arrived at Naoto's apartment. 

"'Kay, kids, I'm outtie. I'll have Yuki call you when she drops your bike off here," Chie said. "Here's her keys. G'night! See you guys at school tomorrow!" She gave a cheery wave, dropped the keys into Kanji's outstretched left hand, turned, and walked away. He gave the sapphire blue scooter, parked and with the helmet stowed away in the cargo box, one last cursory glance before climbing the stairwell to the second floor. Once he reached the end of the walkway, he looked out at the street to see Chie's retreating back. She stopped and called out to a figure on a bike.  _Must be Yukiko-senpai,_ he thought. Chie accompanied Yukiko back towards the building, and Kanji turned to the door, key in hand, and opened it.

He had a sudden flashback to almost a year prior, the last time he'd carried a sleeping Naoto into her apartment. The circumstances then had certainly been more dire. He was glad that that never had to happen to Naoto, himself, or anyone, ever again. 

He fumbled for the lightswitches beside the door. He flipped the first switch his fingers found. The display lights over the bookshelves came on.

"Tha'll do," he whispered to himself. He pushed off his shoes using his feet, then stretched awkwardly to pull the strings to undo the butterfly knots on Naoto's before pulling them off of her feet. He didn't really have much choice but to just drop them on the floor. He'd put them on the rack after he put Naoto in bed.

Oh.

Wait.

_Fuck._

_He had to put her in bed._

He froze again, and every inch of his body felt as hot and as red as if it had been lying in the sun for hours. He began to feel pins and needles all over and knew he was turning a deep shade of carmine. There was no space on the floor to sleep, so the only other option was for him to take the bed and her the couch, which not only still required him to go into her room, but also made him feel significantly faint. 

_'S the only option._

He forced his feet to start moving him towards the hallway. If he remembered right, hers was the second door... On the left. A quick peek in, using his phone screen to light the way, was enough to confirm his recollections. Shouldering open the cracked door, he returned his phone to his left pocket. Once he reached the Western-style bed, he pushed the covers aside and leaned over it to lay her down.

Once the incredibly embarrassing moment of him essentially lying on top of her on her bed had passed, he quickly detached her arms from around his neck and pulled the covers over her up to her chin. Just as he was closing the door, he heard something that made him stand stock-still.

"K-Kanji... Ah... Wait..." 

_Wha... W-what the shit!!??! S-sh-she... Called me Kanji... What?!_

He slowly, slowly turned, pushing the door back open. He was biting his lip hard enough for it to turn white.

"D-don't... I..." She curled her body around her pillow, and a word was muffled into it before she moved her face away. "...you..." 

_She's dreaming. She's dreaming. She's just dreaming._

_Hold on._

_She's dreaming about_ me!?

Kanji stumbled out of the room and collapsed onto the couch.

He didn't sleep more than 10 minutes for the rest of the night.


	8. A Small Intermission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just taking a moment to check on our two favorite long-distance friends.  
> First part takes place between chapters 3 and 4; second part takes place just before the end of chapter 7.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DAMN this is is the longest I've ever gone without updating this!!  
> If you're not into platonic Yu/Rise or romantic Yu/Yosuke you can skip this without missing anything from Naoto and Kanji's story. Those ships'll still be there in other chapters, just in the background.  
> I just wanted to take a chapter sorta for myself so I could develop some story of the friendship that's grown between these two in their year of knowing each other.  
> And yeah that's about it! Read if you want a little extra fluffy something or you're curious about what was going on with the other characters, especially our two favorite boyos, in some parts of the story!  
> I might do another one of these but with Chie and Yukiko heheheheheeeehhhhh *wiggles fingers evilly*

_The phone rings and buzzes on the boy's desk beside his head. The ringtone is an upbeat, jazzy pop song with high-pitched female vocals. The sound jerks the boy out of his drowsy half-sleep. He yawns and blinks several times before shaking his head vigorously in order to clear it. He picks up his phone and flips it open to answer the call..._

"Hey, Rise."

The familiar, bubbly, excitable voice comes through clearly, and Yu smiles.

❝Helloooo, Senpai!! How's your evening going, sweetheart~?❞

"Fine, I guess. Just—" He yawns hugely. "—finishing up some schoolwork, I guess."

She huffs poutily and he can almost see her puffing out her cheeks.

❝Oh, come on, Senpai! You were always on my case for not doing my homework last year, what's up with you falling asleep while you're working now??❞

He leans back in his chair and stares idly at the ceiling.

"I'm not sure. I haven't really cared as much since I left Inaba. It's like... I don't really have much motivation now that I'm not surrounded by friends all the time."

❝No, no, no! Don't you dare say you're not still surrounded by friends! Everyone really, really misses you! Me included! We all call and text you all the time, yeah? We're still there with you, wherever!❞

He sighs tiredly, wishing with all his heart that what she says could be true.

"Yeah, I know, but it's... Not the same."

She sighs too, and her voice is lower and quieter now.

❝Yeah... I know. Sorry, just... Wishful thinking, I guess.❞

She laughs, but it sounds hollow.

❝It's so hard being away from the first place in a long time that I was able to really start thinking of as home.❞

"It was the first place, period, for me," he almost whispers. 

❝I get it. It... Hurts, right?❞ Another mirthless chuckle. ❝You think you'll be able to tell yourself that you're not really gone in spirit, that everyone's still with you, but... In moments like this, the late evenings, when you don't have anything to occupy your mind... It just gets s-so l-lonely...❞ She can't suppress a tiny sob. Yu closes his eyes and feels tears stinging behind his own eyelids.

"...y-yeah."

❝So... Well, anyways...❞ She sniffs and pulls herself together. He can practically see her pulling out her compact to hide the red around her eyes. The  _fwap_ of it closing a moment later tells him he's right. She takes a deep breath in and out, and plasters a smile on as she sits up straight.  _I know this girl too well,_ he chuckles internally.

❝Well, enough of feeling sorry for ourselves! So... Whad'you think about Naoto and Kanji!?❞

Yu blinks, surprised.

"...excuse me?"

❝C'mon! Naoto! Kanji! The cutest couple in the history of anything and everything!! Well, except us, of course,❞ she adds, blowing a kiss into her bejeweled pink cell phone. Yu smiles at the familiar gesture.

"I'm not sure. You've been following the Inaba grapevine more closely than I have since we left, so you tell me. What's going on with the two of them?"

❝You will never. Believe. What I got Kanji to do!!❞

"Yeah? Try me." He gives a genuine laugh. "You're pretty good at talking people into things. Especially Kanji. I'd believe a lot when it comes to you convincing people to do things."

❝Weeellll... I got him to confess to her!❞

"You're joking."

❝Nope! He agreed to one of my BRILLIANT plans! We're leaving Naoto a string of riddles and puzzles and things to solve, and they'll eventually lead her to meet Kanji at the pavilion by the Samegawa, where he'll confess at sunset!!❞

Yu laughs again. 

"That's so...  _You,_ Risecchi. Meeting by the Samegawa for a confession at sunset... Hmm. In my opinion, sunrise would be better. I know a bit of a secret of hers, but if I tell you, just make sure she thinks you figured it out yourself, okay?"

The idol's tone suddenly becomes serious.

❝My lips are sealed, cross my heart. You told me nothing.❞

Yu smiles.

"Good. Alright, every Sunday morning, Naoto takes a walk along the Samegawa and up to the overlook to watch the sunrise. It isn't so much a  _secret_ as it is just something she doesn't talk about, so I don't think she'll mind if you 'figure it out.' You take early-morning jogs, right? You can just pretend you saw her but didn't want to disturb her because she looked like she was thinking or something."

He hears clicking as she takes note of what he's said.

❝Alright, I've got it! Thanks a million, Senpai.❞

"Of course. I'd really like to see those two give a relationship a try. I really think they just... Fit," he says. Not for the first time, he pictures the detective at the punk's side, both blushing furiously and looking in opposite directions, perhaps shooting each other the occasional glance with both looking away quickly, blushes deepening, when their eyes meet.

❝Senpai! Earth to Senpaaiii!!❞

"Yes?"

❝Ugh, finally! You TOTALLY zoned out!❞

"Oh. Yeah, I was imagining those two as a couple," he says sheepishly.

❝Oooohhh, Senpai ships it too!!❞

"I won't deny that."

Rise cackles victoriously.

❝Gahahahahahh!! I've done it! You finally see the glory of Kanji/Naoto!❞

"Well, I wouldn't say that it's  _all_ because of you. I always sort of thought they were a good pair. Anyways, what about Chie and Yukiko? They admitted anything yet?"

❝Nah-ah-aahh!! I won't let you slip away that easily. We're talking about you and everyone's favorite knucklehead. Tell me you didn't think I never noticed!❞

Yu suddenly feels a pang. He goes quiet, staring at the carpet of his room. Rise's voice is gentle when she next speaks.

❝It's been really hard for him since you left, you know. Naoto's told me about it. Chie and Yukiko've noticed it too, and even Kanji. Apparently he's not as energetic, and sometimes he'll stop and just sit there in silence, staring at the ground. He really, really misses you. Most of the times he smiles nowadays are when he's texting you.❞

Without warning, he has to choke back a dry sob.

"B-but Rise, what can I  _do?_ I can't visit home nearly as often as you, and I'm texting that idiot almost constantly! If he still can't get over it—if _I_ can't get over it—even though we're texting for  _hours_ every day—" His phone vibrates but he continues speaking without missing a beat "—and there he is again and I don't know what I can do to help!"

❝Senpai.❞ Her voice is firm and stern, but still gentle. ❝You're visiting home soon. While you're there, spend as much time as you can with him. Talk to him; ask him how he's doing. You'll work it out, I'm sure of it.❞

"...ngh. Thanks, Rise."  

❝Of course, Senpai dearest! Oh, shit—❞ Yu hears shouting in the background on Rise's end.

❝Oh, man, I'm really, really, sorry, but I gotta go, Senpai.❞

"Nah, it's okay. I understand; it's your job, go do it. We'll talk again soon." It's not okay. He does understand, but it's not okay. She knows it's not okay. But there's nothing to be done.

❝I love you. G'bye. I promise, promise, _promise_ I'll call tomorrow night too, m'kay?❞

He smiles. 

"Thanks, Rise. You're the best, you know? Talk again soon."

❝D'aww, you're welcome! Anything for you!❞ She blows a kiss. ❝Tomorrow, then! Talk to you soon! Love you, bye~!❞

She hangs up, leaving Yu in an uncomfortable stew of happiness, loneliness, and frustration.

* * *

 

"They'll be fine," Yu calls, turning to Rise to hand back her phone. "Let's get going back."

"Okay!"

She trots back over to him, having sent Chie and Yukiko off to fetch the abandoned bike and scooter.

"Hop on," he says, he himself settling into the seat of his uncle's old motorcycle. He straps on the helmet and starts the engine. He hears a _click_ as Rise secures her own helmet, then feels her slim arms wrap tightly around his chest. Her face rests against his back, just above his shoulder blades. He grins bemusedly.

"You've gotten taller, Risecchi." 

"Why thank you for noticing," she replies, half-proud, half-sarcastically-annoyed. He's the only one she'll tolerate the fangirly nickname from. 

He shakes his head, laughing a little, and starts off onto the dirt road at a low speed so that they can chat.

"So, I take it Master Kujikawa's Grand Plan To Get Kanji And Naoto Together is going well?"

She hesitates.

"Ohh, Yu... I feel so bad. I realized the punch was spiked fairly early on, but I didn't say anything 'cuz I thought it might help them loosen up a little and maybe let some stuff slip to each other. But... Oh, Senpai, what if this is all my fault? If I'd've said something earlier, none of this woulda happened!" She buries her face further into the back of Yu's jacket, and he frowns.

"Well... I definitely won't deny that what you did was very irresponsible and extremely dangerous, not to mention flat-out illegal, and that this little incident could very,  _very_ easily have had a  _much_ worse ending." Rise sniffs and he feels her body jerk with a tiny sob.

"But I will say this," he continues, after a moment's thought. "Kanji and Naoto are... I agree with you that they need each other, and that they're being  _incredibly_ dense right now. I see what your intentions were, and they were only good, Rise." He nods to himself as he speaks.

"You didn't think through the possible consequences of your idea, and yeah, you may have been a little bit drunk and overexcited. It was unsafe and people have died doing just the same." He lets that hang for a while before gently nudging the girl with his elbow.

"But no one got hurt in Inaba tonight. So just... Just live and learn; just remember this and don't mess with alcohol again—at least, not 'till you're of age." He thinks about that and winces. "I shudder to imagine what you'll get up to then."

Rise grins and cackles, sitting up from her previous miserable slump.

"Don't go giving me ideas!"

"Oh, damn. Should have thought of that before I said anything. Um, pretend you didn't hear me?" His nervous panic is only half-feigned.

"Oh, no, now you can't take it back! I can see it now: Chie and Yukiko aren't even drunk and they're taking to the dance floor like two maniacs, Naoto making out with Kanji in the corner, you* crying into Yosuke's shoulder—" She raised her voice over his cries of "Hell no!" and " _r_ _eally_ , Riiz?!" "—as you slow dance to 'Lost and Found,' Teddie wandering around the club trying to score, all while I admire my handiwork from my seat at the bar, sipping my Brandtini."

"Your  _what_ now? And how drunk have you hypothetically  _gotten_ us at this point?! I want numbers, Kujikawa, what's the blood alcohol content required to convince Hanamura the Hair-Triggered Homophobeto _SLOW DANCE_  with a _guy,_ and to make me, the famously stoic Narukami Yu, _sob_ into his shoulder?!"

"Drunk enough," she says, in a gleeful tone that tells Yu he could spend hours trying to get her to spill and never hear a word of her plans. A dark chill of unbridled dread floods through him and he seriously considers drafting a will. 

"Whatcha thinkin' about?" Rise purrs in his ear.

"Getting a restraining order," he says, voice pitched up sarcastically.**

"Now would that be necessary if you had your earnest, loyal, loving boyfriend to protect you?" She nuzzles teasingly into the side of his neck, and she can feel his skin heat up as he breaks into a rare blush. She knows that her words have made her friend imagine some scene involving Yosuke being a protective boyfriend to Yu, perhaps holding him in sweatshirt-clad arms and asking if he is okay, running fumbling fingers through his grey hair and planting apprehensive kisses on his head—

"Sh-shush. I th-think that's enough about that out of you for tonight," he says, trying to put a stop to both of their imaginations.

"For tonight," she echoes deviously.

"Shit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *A/N: pun intended
> 
> **A/N: Uh. Kind of sarcastically. Maybe fearfully? Er. Fuck. Um. Huh? What was that? Oh. Oh shit. Well. Yeah, no, okay. Hahhaaaaa what yeah it's sarcastically of course it is u fuckin shitlord they're like. Almost as much of a platonic couple as Yu and Yosuke are. Yu ain takin no legal atcion gainst our gal, he jus a lil mortally terrfied o her wily plans cau she crazy sometime, she ain even kno wha she talkin abou half a time!  
> Yeah I'm from western Washington why d'you ask  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
> If there's any scenes that are mentioned but unwritten that you're curious about (in this or any other chapter), hit me up in those comments and I'll see if I can work it into the story!  
> It's summer break! I've got all the time in the world to spend writing!! Prompt away, I'll take it! (Says to self: my old writing club buddies will be soooo impressed hahahahahh !!!)  
> And shoutout: Fear not, TheBlepKing, there's a new riddle in the works. ;) I'm stickin with that!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh man we're gettin back on track and Naoto Is On The Case!  
> Uh. But not before her period sabotages her.  
> And Rise can be a good friend sometimes. ^3^~
> 
> I think this'll end up being the second to last riddle. We're nearing the climax folks :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha periods suuuuck

Naoto awoke slowly. Her head hurt. Her mind was spinning, and it felt like someone had stuffed her ears with cotton. When she sat up, she found that she was slightly dizzy as well.  _Have I fallen ill...?_ Parched, she took a sip from the glass of water at her bedside. 

She stood up and stretched, then headed to the kitchen to set the water heating for coffee. The world seemed quiet and soft as it always did before dawn. As she stepped into the hall, however, she heard something unfamiliar: gentle, barely audible snoring.

Wait.

Hold on.

_What?!_

As her mind began to warm up for the day and the gears started turning in earnest, she actually realized what the sound meant.

_There was someone else sleeping in her apartment._

She crept down the hall, on guard, in a defensive position (though she didn't really know why; what damage can a sleeping person do? Although, she supposed, they could be faking it and lying in wait to attack her when her guard was down. Well, she certainly wasn't letting that happen). As she approached the living room, her eyes were drawn to the couch, and the very particular bleach-blonde head on the armrest nearer to her. She also noticed a school bag with a bright green and orange star-shaped patch on its bottom corner lying on the coffee table.  _Oh. But why..._

She padded over to crouch in front of Kanji's peacefully sleeping face. It held none of the anxiety and frustration it often did when awake. His eyebrows were not knitted together as they seemed to be no matter what emotion he was expressing. His jaw was not set in anger or worry. His lips were not twisted in a frown or a snarl. He looked content, and he was almost smiling. She smiled back.

She lifted a hand and gently placed it on the side of his face, lightly tapping his cheek with her thumb.

"Kanji," she murmured. "Wake up."

"Mmn..."

She sighed. 

"Kanji-kun, it is morning. Wake up. I am making coffee."

His eyelids fluttered and he blinked several times. He held her gaze dreamily and his hand drifted up to delicately rest in the same position on her face as hers was on his. She froze, wide-eyed. Then he blinked again and his expression abruptly changed to one of stark horror. He shot up, his face burning red, and stared intensely at the bookshelves, holding a hand to the spot where she'd touched him. 

"Good," she said, straightening up and trying her damndest to act calm, "you are awake. May I inquire as to why you are on my couch?"

Now staring in utter disbelief at the hand that had touched Naoto's face, he jumped when she spoke and somehow managed to blush even further. 

"U-uh, I, I, uh, it's—" She cut him off before he could waste any more time stuttering.

"What I essentially mean is this: I have gathered that there must have been some form of alcohol at the party last night, and that I consumed enough to 'black out.' I do not remember anything past about 10 minutes after getting on the dance floor. In addition, I seem to be suffering a slight, er..." She turned away, already ashamed of her inexplicably poor judgement of the previous night and now embarrassed of the fact that it had so affected her. Her next word was in a slightly quieter voice. "...hangover."

She glanced quickly back to catch him looking at her with concern and care. When he noticed her look, however, he looked down at the floor.

"Y-yeah, the spike was punched—I-I mean, the punch was spiked! We think it was Ted. A-an' you and Yosuke were th' ones that drank the mosta the punch, so ya both kinda sorta a little got pretty drunk, and you realized it, an' ya got real mad and yelled at us askin' who spiked it, an' ya thought it was Yosuke-senpai so ya challenged 'im to a scooter race, an'we were real scareda you two doin' that drunk, but we couldn't stop ya, an' you won. An' I carried ya home. Chie-sempai an' a Yukiko-sempai brought yer scooter an' my bike back 'ere, an' I grabbed my school bag an' uniform on the way here so I could sleep over ta make sure you were okay, so... So... Er... So tha's why'm here."

Her first reaction was to snap that she didn't need  _nannying,_ that she'd taken care of herself while ill plenty of times before, and that she was perfectly capable of doing so again. But a nagging voice appeared in the back of her head that sounded strangely like Yu...  _Kanji is your dear friend. He cares enough to sleep at your house to make sure you'll be okay. What kind of thanks would it be to yell at him?_

So instead, she simply dropped her gaze, which had wandered back to him as he'd spoken, to the floor. 

"Kanji-kun, I—" Suddenly, with no warning whatsoever, a huge bout of nausea overpowered her, and she almost buckled. She knew if she opened her mouth to excuse herself, she'd throw up, so rather than risk any other option she just scrambled to the bathroom, not bothering to close the door behind her. Slamming up the toilet seat and lid, she crumpled to her knees and allowed herself to vomit. She barely heard the thumping of feet of Kanji running after her. By the time he knelt down beside her, the first wave of vomiting was over. She looked away from him, shaking and gripping the sides of the bowl. She felt large bubbles of shame rising up in her tumultuous stomach and embarrassed tears burning at her eyes.

"Go away," she whispered. "Leave, please. I'm... I'd rather deal with my disappointment in myself alone."

"'M not leavin'."

_Well. Not completely unexpected._

But she didn't have the energy to argue. Especially not as another wave of nausea rolled over her and she threw up again. Kanji hesitantly laid a hand on her back and simply sat there, being a strong anchor. 

"'Sokay... It'll... It'll pass. Yer okay, Naoto... Ju-jus' breathe..." He moved his hand in circles against her back. He spoke again when she looked up, shaking and feeling weak. "Done?"

She nodded. Tearing off some toilet paper from the roll, she wiped off her mouth and then the edges of the toilet bowl before throwing it in, closing the lid, and flushing. She began pushing herself up, but Kanji stopped her.

"No way in hell yer standin' if I'm here for ya. I c'n carry ya t'yer room. Where's yer linen closet?"

She opened her mouth to protest, decided it wasn't worth it and this was an argument she would never win in hundreds of billions of years, and instead said weakly,

"E... End of the hall."

He nodded and disappeared into the hallway. She heard the closet open, then close about 15 seconds later. Another minute or so, and he was back to find her resting her head on the toilet lid, eyes closed.

"C-c'mon," he stammered, but his voice was gentler than she'd ever heard it. He crouched beside her and put his left arm around her waist and his right arm the other way around her thighs, so she was essentially sitting in his arms as he stood. She was too physically tired to resist just relaxing against his chest and shoulder as he carried her into her room. No one else was there. The only thing he cared about was her being okay. _Just let him take care of you._

He sat on her Western-style bed, whose sheets he had already pulled back, and eased her into a lying-down position. He pulled his arms from around her and stood, then turned and offered her the pajamas he'd found sitting on the bed when he'd gone to pull back the sheets and lay a towel on the pillow. She took them with a quiet word of thanks. 

"Imma go... Do some homework, an'... Yell 'r call me if ya need 'nything." He turned and hurried from the room, leaving the door just slightly ajar. She laid there for a moment before deciding she'd be more comfortable in her pajamas.

She carefully eased off her clothes, trying hard not to upset her stomach again. She next undid her bindings and took a deep breath, relieved at the release from their constriction. Pulling on her nightshirt, she remembered something, and checked her underwear.

Yep. Blood. _Fantastic._

Out of options, she took her phone from the bedside table and texted Kanji.

 

 

 

 

 

 

> CABNT UNDR BTHRM SINK, SMALL RED/PNK BOX. PLS BRING 2 BDRM. THX

She paused and added,

 

 

 

 

 

 

> 4 EVRTHNG.

She got a response while she pulled up the bedcovers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

> Sure. On it.
> 
> And. Well. You don't have to thank me. I'd do anything for you.

Meanwhile, Kanji stared, horrified, at that last text. He'd accidentally pressed send instead of backspace while trying to delete the last sentence!! 

_Relax, Tatsumi. It's fine. She'll just ignore it or take it platonically, it's fine, it's fine!!! Right?!?_

He stood and headed to the bathroom. In the cabinet beneath the sink he found a red plastic box with a pink lid. _Very... Un-Naoto._ It took him a moment to notice the tiny, frustrated-looking scribble of _"MY BODY IS A FUCKING ASSHOLE AND I HATE BEING FEMALE"_ in the corner of the lid. His mouth opened slightly as he understood the color of the box and the severity of her nausea.  _Huh. Thought it was a bit much for a hangover. But... Oh, holy shit._ Blushing, he closed the cabinet and turned off the bathroom light. He brought the box into Naoto's room, where she was curled up in bed, looking like she felt very ill.

Naoto opened her eyes as Kanji entered. She had prepared for this moment. She was not ready to have to ask this. She hated doing this to Kanji. But there was no other option. As he set the box of pads on the bedside table, she pulled the covers up to her eyes to hide her blush.

"Y-y'okay?"

"Yes." It was automatic. It was also 100% a lie.

Kanji narrowed his eyes slightly. 

"Well, n-no, I'm not. I am menstruating and..." She yanked the covers over her eyes and her sentence sputtered out.

"Please get me a c-clean pair of underwear! They are in the third drawer up in my closet!"

There was silence. Her stomach churned. 

She peeked out from the covers. Kanji had frozen where he stood, blushing maroon and staring at her.

"P-please... Th-the pad... It can only stick to clean f-fabric... So..."  _Heaven help me!_

After another few seconds, he seemed to come to his senses. 

"I-I-I-I, I mean, yeah, okay, um, so, th-third d-d-drawer up, r-right?"

"Y-yes," she answered in a small voice. She watched him walk over to the closet and open it. He slowly pulled open the third drawer up in the dresser. Hands visibly shaking, he picked up a pair by the waistband, closed the drawer and closet, turned, and practically threw them at her. Her hand shot out from under the covers and snatched them. 

"M-m—Thank you." She held his gaze when he turned around after closing it all up.

"A-a-an-anythin' else?" He stuttered. He was still blushing violently.

"No." She whispered.

"'Kay. Uh... I'll be. I'll be here." He escaped the room without another word.

Naoto took several seconds to calm down, then sighed and set about preparing the clean undergarment with a pad.

* * *

 

Rise hummed thoughtfully as she drabbled out some ideas on a piece of lined paper. She was laid out on her stomach on a fuzzy pink shag rug on her bedroom floor, knees bent and feet swinging back and forth above her thighs. She was propped up on her elbows, tapping the eraser of her pink mechanical pencil thoughtfully against the paper atop her red writing board. A beam of sunlight from the window warmed her back. Kanji sat in the pink and purple office chair before her desk, also with paper and a pencil. The duo were brainstorming for the next riddle they would set for Naoto. 

"How 'bout this?" She said, interrupting herself mid-note.

_"A riddle, a rhyme,_

_A night's missing time;_

_Making amends_

_With duly wronged friends;_

_A message to send—_

_Not much longer to pretend;_

_So dampen your fear,_

_Enjoy love while you're here!"_

Predictably, Kanji squawked in protest and waved a vaguely threatening hand at the girl as she read the last couple of lines.

"What the—Screw you, Rise! She ain't killin' me..." The idol was 100% absolutely positively sure she heard him add under his breath, "...probably..." 

"Okay, well, what've you got then?"

Kanji looked away, blushing obviously. 

"N-nothin' tha'll do 's any good here."

"C'moooon," she whined, her legs moving faster out of distress. "Just a _liittle_? Even just your favorite line?? It doesn't even have to be something that works!"

He wanted to tell her to can it, but he swallowed the words and worked his jaw, his face a deep scarlet, before finally muttering the stanzas he'd marked with a star.

_"This Emperor's poor with a heart yet unheard;_

_The Wheel of Fortune his way has not turned._

_If just for a moment, just seconds would do,_

_He'd be pleased as a peach if she'd meet grey with blue._

_And he hopes with full heart that she'd see in his eyes_

_The earnest respect and true love therein lies."_

Rise's legs had ceased their movement, and she was staring at Kanji with her pencil held loosely in her hand. Suddenly, she gripped it in her fist and her lower legs crossed and folded against her thighs as she squirmed excitedly, squealing with delight.

"Kanji!! That was SO GREAT!! You should totally use that as the final clue, the one you give her personally!"

"Sh-sh- _shaddup,_ Rise!!" He slid out of the chair and found a spot to sit leaning against the bed.

"Well, it's true! That was so sweet, I'm sure she'll fall for you right away!"

"She ain't gonna fall for some dumb punk with some pretty words..." 

Rise's voice grew kind and gentle.

"Oh, but Kanji... She already has! I know you refuse to see it, and so does she for that matter, but it's true, and all she needs is a push. You're doing the right thing, Kanji. I promise. She'll be so embarrassed and touched that you've gone to such lengths to make her happy and catch her interest, all because of how much you love her. It's been almost a year now, huh?"

"More. I think..." He paused for a good long moment, face contorted with concentration. He soon huffed in frustration. "Gah, I give up." he pulled out his phone and opened the calendar to count the days one-by-one. "'S been a year, a month, an' fifteen days."

"Since that fateful day," Rise sighed dreamily.

"Hey, you weren' even there! An' I... It was really stupid... 'S just cause we're both so bad at conversation. 'R, cause I'm so bad at conversation an' she's so bad at tact."

"Even moreso back then, I hear."

Kanji didn't answer; he just tipped his head backwards onto the bed. He covered his face with his page of brainstormed poems and sighed deeply.

"Dammit... At least let me down gently, kay? Don' wanna walk aroun' just an empty, heartbroken shell..." He curled his fingers around the paper and it crinkled, buckling. "God... Fuckin'... Ngh! Rise..."

"Yeah?"

He blushed furiously, pressing the paper against his face. 

"I just... I just wanna hug 'er. I just wanna hold 'er an' tell 'er her life is all gonna be okay. That she's beautiful an'... I love 'er." He scoffed quietly. "'Course, she's brilliant, so she'd be able ta list a hundred reasons why i's not okay." 

"And... Wha'd'you think she'll say about the last two things?"

Kanji opened his mouth and blushed deeper. 

"I—I dunno!! I just... I just love Naoto, an' I wan' 'er ta be happy, an' if I could be the one ta do that, I'd be the happiest guy in— _ever!"_

Rise smiled.

"Well, this is your chance to make that happen. But that means we've gotta get hard at work on that riddle!! So sit up!!"

He reluctantly did as commanded, smoothing out the paper. Rise kept talking.

"So, if we can take yours and just make it a little less  _overtly_ romantic—" Kanji blushed again and Rise rolled her eyes. "—then we'll be golden!" She sat up into a cross-legged pose and grabbed Kanji's paper. 

"H-hey!!"

She had pulled out a clean sheet of paper to copy down Kanji's poem. As she scanned his paper, she saw his other scratchings and ideas.

"Ooh... 'Angel of justice...' 'Sweetheart in blue...' 'My cheeks are red, your hat is blue, you're stuck in my head, because I love you!' Oh, that one's so sweet!! 'My prince...' Oh, sweetie, you're just swooning like a lovesick sailor at this point. 'If you're on the case of my stolen heart, just look in your pocket.' Wow, Kanji, that one's creative! You're a really good poet, I never knew!"

"Shut it," he said, but without any real conviction. She grinned and finished copying down the poem he'd read aloud earlier. 

"Okay! Let's start with that first line. _This Emperor's poor with a heart yet unheard._ Hmm... I sorta think these first two lines are..." She stopped, thinking. "Actually, what if we kept the whole poem the same, except for changing the references to your arcanas? It's a bit too obvious this way. I'll change 'Emperor's' to 'young man is,' and 'Wheel of Fortune' to 'Prince of Detectives.' And..." She traced through the rest of the lines with her pencil. "...I'll change 'love' to 'heart.' That should do it!! So... We'll tape this one to the inside of her locker door with a postscript that says 'go find the one who is most important to you; he has something urgent to discuss.' and that'll be it! Sound okay?"

"Y—I mean, doesn' that seem..."

"What?"

"I—I dunno... I jus' feel like... I sorta wanna wait a little longer for the last one. C'n we fill up the time till summer break with more puzzles? I kinda... Don' wanna tell 'er and then have 'er ignorin' me in school every day, so... I wanna wait."

Rise hesitated, looking skeptical. She looked at him, and how afraid he was. She thought of Naoto, and knew she'd want time to think after a confession from Kanji. 

"...alright. I'll give you this one. But you better help me with writing new riddles! We'll save the poem and directive one we made today for the final sweep at the end of July. So... Let's! Get!  _Riddling!"_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me, scrolling up through the chapter: _theres so many words holy shit_


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new puzzle! Something more classic this time.
> 
> THANK YOUUU javert_is_my_poor_repressed_son for beta-ing!! I am honored that you were honored to read this before everyone else got to, even though it started out tERRIBLE.
> 
> I'm so sorry this is so short, but hey, I promised new chapter today, so I'm posting new chapter today.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HO BOY I'M BACK ON IT MAN. Next chapter might take a while too; I'm having a little trouble with motivation for this fic. But I promise it will come! I LOVE this concept and I've got the rest sketched out, so. I dunno. I think it'll end up having 11 chapters though. So like. This is the second to last one. Think of it as me putting quality over promptness. I promise to put everything I have into the finale, cause _damn_ do I want you guys to be just as happy with how it ends as you've been so far. I love y'all!! Thanks a bajillion for all the love this story's gotten, I really am blown away by how many people have been reading and enjoying it! Sorry for getting distracted with those playlist fics and SV along the way! XD This has been such a crazy whirlwind ride... But we're not done yet! Let's get on with chapter ten before I get too sappy! *waves fist in the air* LesGO! WooWOO!

"See ya at lunch, Naoto-kun?"

Naoto smiled and nodded at Chie.

"Of course. Until then." She waved farewell to her senpai before heading to her shoe locker. When she opened it, it was to find an unmarked manila envelope. Pleased, she slipped the large envelope into her school bag. _This must be my next clue. Excellent._

* * *

Naoto almost ran home in the summer rainstorm. However, it wasn't the rain that drove her. It was anticipation for the next clue. Finally, she reached her door, set her umbrella on the inner doormat to dry, kicked off her shoes, and slid over to the coffee table. 

After unzipping her bag and rifling through it, she extracted the manila envelope, undid the clasp, and emptied its contents onto the tabletop.

It was... A jigsaw puzzle. She flipped the pieces so all of them faced up. _They're... Some are white, and some have a letter written on them. Then the message is revealed when the puzzle is solved. That's... An unnecessarily roundabout way to send a message. This shouldn't be terribly difficult, in any case._

She spent around 20 minutes putting it together. It _wasn't_ terribly difficult; it only had around 100 pieces. However, as with milk puzzles, the lack of a design made it more difficult. The writing eased this, but only a little; each piece with writing on it had only one, complete letter. _Someone thought this through,_ she thought several times as she put the pieces together.

Snapping the final piece into its place, she looked over the completed message.

 

**_If you drop me, I'm sure to crack. Give me a smile, and I'll always smile back. What am I?_ **

 

The detective's mind instantly began casting around for the solution.

 _A thing, not a person. Something breakable. However, capable of repeating an action. Something animate, then...?_ Being as mechanically inclined as she was, her thoughts first flew to any number of machines and gadgets which could fulfill the characteristics described. After several minutes of fruitless mental wandering, however, she filed away the possibility for later consideration. _To backpedal... Something breakable, and capable of reproducing a physical action. What if the "cracking" and the "smiling back" are metaphorical, not literal? Perhaps "smiling back" is a mere personification? The riddle itself is written in the first person, so it follows that some characteristics listed are simply personifications of phenomena to do with the object..._

 _So, if "smiling back" is a personification, then does it mean that... The object is reflective!_ She achieved a mental break, and her eyes flew open.

She stood up, brow furrowed, and began to wander her apartment, looking for ideas. _Cracks when dropped... Reproduces actions and/or images, possibly—even probably—reflective..._

She spun slowly on her heel in the middle of every room she entered, scanning for objects that fit the requirements.

Kitchen. _Countertop... Range... Oven... Microwave...? No... Fridge... Sink... No._

Hallway. _Washing machine... Dryer... Wall... Door... Wall.... ...nothing else new here._

Bedroom _. Wall... Clothes... Bed... Window... Door... Doorknob... No._

Office _. Wall... Carpet... Window...? Desk... Laptop... Pens and pencils... Chair... Wall... No._

Bathroom _. Wall... Tiles... Shower... Toilet... Counter... Mirror... Sink... Cabinet... Lightswitch..._ As she turned to leave the room, she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror.

_Wait. The mirror!_

She whipped back towards the mirror so fast that her socked feet nearly slid out from under her on the smooth tile floor. Once she recovered herself, her hands flew to the mirror. She searched the edges, looked in the cabinet behind it, and came up empty-handed. She briefly considered fetching a screwdriver to check behind the mirror itself, but decided that the slim possibility wasn't worth it.

 _Not that I would expect anything in any case. How would a clue have found its way behind my bathroom mirror?_ Lost in thought, her hand flat against the glass, Naoto felt her phone vibrate. She took it out and clicked on _"1 New Message."_ A deep crease found its way between her eyebrows as steely blue eyes scanned the screen.

_Unknown number, 15:27_

_having trouble, sweet little detective prince? try looking at school tomorrow. ;)_

The first thing that bothered her wasn't even the fact that her phone couldn't retrieve the number, but that whoever it was had called her "sweet little detective prince." Well, it seemed like _someone_ knew how to piss her off.

_WHO IS THIS_

_teehee! nuh-uh-uh! not telling u yet. ;3 just wait anther month and youll have it solved! handed 2 u on a silver platter! bbye now!_

_HOW DID U FIND MY #_

_The cell phone number you have attempted to contact no longer exists._

"Agh. A burner..." She growled, snapping her phone shut. She'd had enough experience being contacted by burner phones to recognize the error message. Suddenly wishing she had a partner on this case, she shoved her phone back into her pocket and headed towards the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a thought: if you ever wonder, my headcanon for Naoto's gender identity is demigirl. Like, she's fine with female pronouns and such, but she doesn't _quite_ identify as totally female. And she still binds. Not as tightly as before, but she still does.  
>  Also: I like to imagine Kanji and Rise buying like. A really dumb Spongebob puzzle for like 50¢ at the dollar store, then going back to her house to solve it and paint it white and write the clue, and Rise teasing him about Naoto and him waving his hands threateningly in her general direction, but we all know he'd never actually hit her, and it's all very endearing and sweet. They're such good pals I love it aaughhhh


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I lied. There's gonna be 12 chapters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yu is ever the good senpai, huh...

On Friday, July 6th, 2012, Kanji woke up early. He and Rise had spread out the dates that each riddle would be planted throughout the month on July. Today was the day to plant the mirror riddle puzzle. It was a simple one; they had decided to just put it in Naoto's shoe locker. However, fearing that she was beginning to get bored, Rise had suggested they freak her out by texting her a hint from a burner phone later in the day.

When he got to school, the first thing he did was plant the clue. Then he changed shoes, lumbered upstairs to the second floor, and fell asleep at his desk. He didn't wake up until roll call, and even then, it was only for a moment. He fully regained consciousness when biology rolled around. As per usual, he pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil to write a brief missive to Naoto.

_What'd I miss_

The paper soon came back with two lines of even, measured writing.

 _History: Ch. 10 review, Ch. 11 preview_  
_English: Read pgs. 60-70 of The Odyssey_

He smiled slightly at the note before carefully tucking it into the back of his accordion file. He then took a fresh sheet of paper from the front folder in the file and jotted down a quick thank-you.

_K thanks_

He wished dearly that he could just write her a note in class that said _I love you,_ and have done with it, but he knew that wasn't the right way to go about it.

He spent the rest of the class period lost in daydreams of flicking notes over to her that were filled with tiny hearts and 'I love you's.

* * *

At 14:36 on the 7th of July, Naoto stood in the boy's bathroom on the second floor of Yasogami High. She glared at her reflection in the mirror. Her small hands gripped the sides of the sink. In one hand was a small piece of paper. It read as follows.

 **_Who ~~seeks~~ stole the detective's heart?_ **  
**_That thief's name is the place to start._ **  
**_Count the days till youth's in prime,_ **  
**_That's when love will have its time._ **

“I do not love Tatsumi Kanji,” she muttered under her breath. “I do not have time for entanglements.” Icy blue eyes stared back. She stood her ground, holding her own gaze challengingly.

 _Who do you think you’re fooling, Shirogane? You’re hopeless..._ Her eyes slid shut, and she slumped, leaning into the sink.

“Heavens... What to do...?” She felt confused. Yu may have cleared up what she was feeling, but that didn't make it any easier to accept. And now, here she was, talking to her reflection in the restroom at school.

At least the note did one good thing: It reminded her of something she had forgotten in all the chaos of the week before. The culprit was on the Investigation Team. She didn’t have anything to worry about. At least that explained how they’d gotten her phone number.

“Yo, Naoto!”

She turned around and was surprised to see a lanky, auburn-haired third-year leaning on the doorframe, an easy smile gracing his visage.

"Yosuke-senpai?”

“Hey. Kanji asked me to help look for you. Said you disappeared when school got out.” He flashed her his characteristic friendly grin and ambled over to lean against the sink beside hers. “So, what's up?”

She shook her head.

“You needn't concern yourself with it.”

“Is it about Kanji?”

“How—?!”

“It's kinda obvious, y'know.”

She blushed, looking down into the sink.

“I suppose Yu-senpai told you...”

“What? No,” the mop-haired boy replied, confused. “I figured it out myself. Wasn't that hard. You're always staring at him like you're, like, trying to figure him out or something.”

She huffed, miffed at how casually he tore her mind open.

“Am I truly that transparent?” She muttered, glowering at her reflection.

“Yeah, sometimes,” Yosuke answered offhandedly. “Anyways, what're you even doing in here? Didn't think you still used the men's room.”

“I do. I would... Prefer to maintain a mostly masculine image.”

“Huh.”

“You mentioned Kanji-kun?”

“Yeah, he was looking for you.”

“Why?”

“Dunno, he wouldn't say. I think he was just worried about you. Hang on, I’ll tell him I found you.” The older boy pulled out his phone and typed something. After a moment, his phone chimed and he looked back up to Naoto.

“Says to meet him out front. C'mon, class is over, let's get outta this dump.”  
She gave a tiny, amused smile.

“Agreed. But Yosuke-senpai,” she continued as they walked out together, “Kanji-kun and I is all well and good, but what of you and Yu-senpai?”

Yosuke went white as a sheet and began spluttering frantically.

“W-what!? I don't—!! _What!?!”_

“Surely you jest! I thought it was obvious that the pair of you have been lusting after one another for more than a year!”

_“Lusting?!”_

“Indeed, the romantic and sexual tension between you is nearing a point of ridiculousness. It must only be a matter of time before one of you says something, no?”

Yosuke looked as though Naoto had beaten the words right out of him. He gaped, an expression of indignant incredulity on his face. When he finally regained the power of speech, every sentence he began seemed to vanish into confused wheezing.

“Y-you—! I’m—! We’re not—!?”

Naoto frowned.

“Is anything I’ve said untrue?”

“Well, I— I mean— It's not—” He stopped, leaning against the wall for support. Finally, he finished a sentence. “You're seriously scary sometimes, y'know that?!”

“Then I am correct?”

“Well— You're not— You're not wrong.” He shifted uncomfortably. “Don’t tell him anything I say, okay?”

She bowed her head solemnly.

“Your secrets will be more than safe. My lips are sealed on this topic.”

He nodded, looking only slightly relieved, and grimaced.

“O-okay… So, like… My partner and I, we're super tight. I was, like, his first friend when he came to Yaso the first day of school last year.” Yosuke looked wistfully towards classroom 2-2, the room now occupied by Naoto and Kanji's class (Rise had been placed in class 2-1, much to the disappointment of all three second-year IT members). “He was someone I saw myself in, you know? Chie and Yukiko are great, but I never really clicked with them. I mean, you know how they are with me.”

Naoto nodded, a tiny laugh flickering across her lips.

“But Partner, he's someone I can really relate to. He's a city kid, like me, and he wasn’t in Inaba by choice either. He didn’t judge me at all when he saw my asshole Shadow. And… I dunno, that was the first time anybody had ever legitimately liked me for _me,_ the _real_ me. It's just that, like…”

“There is nothing to be feared in homosexuality. The only thing you fear is a social construct with which you are unfamiliar.”

He cringed.

“Y-yeah…”

“And as you say, the bond between yourself and Yu is exceptionally strong. I sincerely doubt that speaking to him about this would endanger it.”

“But what if it does!? He’ll just think I’m a freak! A creep! A—”

“A dear friend who loves him deeply,” Naoto interrupted. “Don't fear what could happen. Go find out what will.”

Yosuke slouched on the wall, arms crossed, looking down the hallway and away from his kohai.

“I guess… Ugh, okay, okay. Fine. I’ll… I’ll say something to him before summer break starts.” He paused, running a hand through his hair, then suddenly shot Naoto a smirk. “How's this sound: If I haven’t confessed by August first, you gotta tell Yu how I feel. If you haven’t confessed by then, then I get to tell Kanji how you feel. Deal? I'd say you still owe me for what happened last week…”

Naoto felt her face burn.

“I was inebriated and we both know it! You cannot blame me for what I did!”

“That doesn’t mean you didn’t do it.”

“Oh, bother… Fine! I accept your terms.” She reluctantly held out a hand. The taller teen joined it with his own and they shook. 

“Now, let's go find the Detective Prince's royal tailor out front!”

_You won't have much left of a face to speak with if you keep saying things of that nature…_

* * *

It was late evening, and the sun was setting. The Shirogane heiress sat on the concrete outcropping, her feet swaying gently in the current of the Samegawa and her shoes and socks neatly lined up beside her.

It had been a full week and a half since Naoto had found the riddle and made a pact with Yosuke, and she was no closer to solving the clue or confessing. She was thoroughly frustrated and confused, but she couldn’t bring herself to bother her extremely busy grandfather with her own petty emotional struggles. And she wasn’t yet desperate enough to seek the counsel of the local idol.

 _However_ , she thought, _there is one person left…_

She took out her phone and pressed 4 on her speed dial, then _call_.

_*ring*_

_*ring*_

_*ring*_

_*ri—click!*_

❝Naoto…? What's got you calling so—so—so—❞ The grey-haired boy yawned. ❝—so late…?❞

Naoto smiled slightly.

“My apologies. Did I wake you?”

❝Oh, nah, it's fine. I just fell asleep doing homework,❞ he replied. His smile was audible as he spoke next. ❝So, to what do I owe the pleasure, dear Shirogane-san?❞

“I come once again seeking your advice.”

❝You still haven’t done anything about that? At least say something before summer break…❞

"That is precisely my plan, actually.” She briefly considered mentioning her 'deal' with Yosuke, but seeing who she was talking to, thought it too risky.

❝Oh, really now?❞ He sounded genuinely surprised. ❝Good for you!❞

“Yes, but I’ve had this deadline in place for more than a week now. I would usually expect to have made some progress by now, if it were anything else.”

❝True. But, well, it's not something else, and this is you we're talking about. I can see why you’re struggling.❞

“And that is all well and good, but the fact remains that I haven’t the faintest clue how to go about this! I am—” She stopped and let out a frustrated breath. Her feet moved in agitated circles in the water.

❝Naoto?❞ Yu's tone was very serious.

"…yes?”

❝You're a lovesick schoolkid.❞

“…pardon?”

He dropped the solemn tone and laughed lightheartedly.

❝You're cluelessly in love! What I mean is that most people get… A dry run, if you will, of the whole love thing, in the form of a childhood crush. Back then, you're completely new to the whole set of emotions and symptoms that comes with love, so you just stumble through it, completely blind. That's you now! You've never experienced this before, so you have no idea what you’re supposed to do, or how to do it. It's completely normal! And yes,❞ he continued, talking over her rebuttal, ❝just because it's normal doesn’t mean it's any easier. But, it also doesn’t mean you can do anything different. It just means that your struggle is to be expected. You heard of the analogy about tearing off a bandage?❞

"Yes. But I fail to—"

❝Great! Well, that's what this is. The longer you wait, the more your crush grows, and the bigger the lump in your throat will be when you try to confess.❞

Naoto tried and failed several times to begin a sentence, before finally giving up and just staring into the dark water.

“I wish it didn’t have to be so difficult,” she eventually whispered.

❝Don't we all…❞

"I've tried rationalizing; attempted finding the reason that I love him so… However… I simply…”

❝...do.❞

“…yes.”

They sat in a miserable silence for several minutes. Naoto felt the current pull at her feet and imagined her heart as a pebble in a river. Always on the verge of being washed away, and if it wasn’t, it would eventually be eroded down into tiny particles. Not a bad metaphor, actually. Her poor, stone heart… She could either cling to what she knew and slowly wither away, or let go and see where the current carried her.

She closed her eyes and nodded slowly.

“I believe… I understand, now.”

❝I knew you'd figure it out eventually.❞

“Yes… Thank you for tolerating me throughout this whole ordeal, Yu-senpai. I know what to do.”

❝Like to let me in on your plans?❞

She smiled slightly.

“No, I think you'll find out when you visit in August.”

❝Ooh, keeping me hanging, are we? Well then, I’ll just have to see what happens.❞

“Indeed you will.” She stood up and began shaking off her feet. “I'm afraid I’ll have to leave you here tonight, however. I really must be on my way.”

❝Alright. I hope we talk again soon. And Naoto,❞ he added, ❝one last thing.❞

“Yes?”

❝Good luck.❞

"The Wheel of Fortune ever turns. Let us hope that this time, it is to our benefit. Good night, Senpai.”

❝G'night.❞

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry lmao!! It was getting a bit lengthy and I felt bad keeping y'all waiting. I promise the next chapter will be the last though!!


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ohh man. Time for some serious maple-syrup level sweet sappiness in the chapter (end) notes. But first... *drrrrumrollll.....* *crash cymbal!* LE GRANDE FINALE!! Let's finish this thing!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY SHIT I'M BACK I'M LIVING  
> BE MORE CHILL HAS FUCKING _ＣＯＮＳＵＭＥＤ　ＭＥ_  
>  Jesus, okay, okay, let's get on with it.  
> I've actually learned a few things from the BMC garbage I've been writing, so maybe that'll show in how TLWSN proceeds?  
> The school year's starting soon, so who knows how much time I'll have for writing. However, my love for this ship will never fade. These two dorks deserve each other completely. (see Kannao Mixtapes for a more accurate depiction of my love for them.) Hope you enjoy this mess of a finale.  
> Also, sorry if the bit about the camera is weird, but I've got roots in AV, so that's just how I visualize it.  
> Also: gross overuse of italics.

“Go over what you’ve got so far again?”

Naoto sighed and rolled her eyes before beginning her spiel from the top.

"The strikethrough could have been either intended by the riddler, or added later. And even with the latter possibility, it may or may not have been the riddle's author who edited it. On the other hand, if we assume that _everything_ written is true, then it seems that the person who seeks my heart and the person who supposedly stole my heart are in fact one and the same. Meanwhile, when we step back, the first two lines seem to ask the name of the person who seeks _and/or_ has stolen the heart of _'the detective,'_ by which we assume the author means me. As for the second stanza, it seems to be directions for what to do next. The first line, _'count the days till youth's in prime,'_ is probably referring to summer, the time of youth. Speaking for the second line is more difficult, as… Yosuke-senpai, _please_. I really do need help with this.”

Yosuke looked guiltily up from his phone.

“Oh—! Sorry. Yu…”

She sighed again.

“Carry on…”

He bit his lip and went back to texting.

Naoto looked out at the Samegawa. Today was Thursday, July nineteenth. It had been two days since she'd become resolute in her plan to tell Kanji her feelings, and she was spending—it was starting to feel like _wasting_ , really—her time uselessly picking away at the riddle. The end-of-semester exams were nearly upon them, and she'd studied herself stupid and tutored Kanji and Rise until they begged for ~~mercy~~ ~~the sweet release of death~~ a rest. So, once again, she was forced back to the ~~god-forsaken~~ riddle.

It almost seemed that she was going through stages of grief over the damned thing. Denial had been in the days after she’d first found it. Anger, for sure, was next. Bargaining… Perhaps not so much. Depression, the couple of days before and after she'd called Yu. But now… Acceptance, in all likeliness. That was it. The death of her pride was complete.

Apart from the nonsense with the riddle, she was working up her nerves, determined not to let Yosuke spill the beans. She wanted to at least let the cat out of the bag on her terms, even if it would be impossible to herd once it was free.

* * *

It could have been any evening. Naoto lay curled up beneath the covers on her bed, biting her lip, tears slowly dripping across the bridge of her nose and onto the sheets. I can't do this. _Why is it so difficult? None of it is logical at all. It's like being dropped in a foreign country, no resources, no translator, nothing. I'm going to fail utterly, and he would have every right to turn tail and run. How can I be loved if I don’t know how to love? I can't. It hurts too much. There’s no imaginable circumstance in which I could be loved like this. How can I be loved if I don’t know myself? How can I be loved when my body is so wrong? I’m so abnormally small, my physical attributes neither feminine nor masculine. And those feminine attributes that I do have, I desperately hide. How weak, Shirogane. How pitiable you are. Just a terrified child, desperate for recognition. Begging for love. Yet you hide behind a stern face and a cap, sealing your true feelings within a great stone wall. Perhaps your heart truly is just a pebble. A tiny, shriveled stone. Cold. Undersized. Completely insignificant. Helpless as it's tossed out to sea, to sink down into the uncaring depths. Alone._

* * *

It could have been any evening. Kanji sat on the edge of his bed, elbows on his knees and hands gripping his hair tightly. His eyes were pinched shut, and his breath trembled with each inhale and exhale. _The hell're you thinking, Tatsumi!? Just drop it. You seriously think a punk like you’s got a chance with Naoto of all people?! No way. Nooo way. She's gonna laugh in your big, dumb face and walk away. Don’t even try, dude. Not a chance. What a stupid idea. Stupid, stupid, stupid, just like they all say!! You're not a man. Not a bit. The hell would she see in you? Nothing! She’s got nothing to gain from you. She’s all logic. She’s got it all worked out. She’s got a plan for her life, and it doesn’t include you or anyone else. You’re such an idiot for still following her like a limping puppy… God, what a mess…_

* * *

_“I swear to god, if those two don’t confess already I am going to rip this fucking pillow in half!!”_

“Jeez, Rise-chan, calm down! I mean, I’m all for them to give it a shot, too, but just. _Chill!”_

“I _can't_ calm down! If I have to spend one more second listening to either one of them pining over the other, I'm gonna _scream!!”_

It was July thirty-first, and Yukiko, Chie, and Rise were lounged in Rise's very pink bedroom. Rise sat on her bed, limbs wrapped around her pillow. She dug her fingers further into the pillow as her phone, which sat beside her, emitted a plink-ing notification tone.

“And there's Naoto again, asking if she can call me!” The device played a somber piano piece and she groaned loudly. “Uuugh!! Just… I’m just gonna let it ring… I can’t take any more from these two…” 

“That's a bit rude…” Yukiko countered hesitantly.

“I don’t even care at this point! Chie, what're you—”

“Hi Naoto-kun!” Chie said cheerily, before tapping the speaker button. “You've been talking Rise-chan's ear off lately! That’s not like you, what's up?”

There were several seconds of silence before Naoto cautiously spoke.

❝How much… Do you know?❞

“Oh, not much,” Yukiko said lightly. “We just know you need some counseling!”

❝To what end?❞

"To the end of you not torturing yourself with your lovesickness anymore! You should bounce on over here to Rise-chan's place, we can—"

❝My apologies, I’m a bit busy. Another time.❞

"She hung up,” Chie said, looking crestfallen.

“Well, _yeah_. People don’t react well when you tell them you know about their secret crush.”

“Yeah… But still, it was rude to cut me off like that!” The green-jacketed girl puffed out her cheeks in frustration.

Yukiko giggled and Rise rolled her eyes.

"Well, anyways,” Chie continued, “we should talk to Kanji! He totally likes her back!”

“I _know_ , I know…!! Hey, maybe _you_ should talk to him! Speaking of jocks who like girls they think are out of their league…”

 _“SHUSH!!”_ Chie dove at Rise, slapping a hand over the idol’s mouth. “I toldja not to say anything about that!!” Yukiko, still clueless, collapsed into a fit of laughter.

“Anyways,” the younger girl eventually said, pushing her senpai fully off of her, “he's not the only one who needs help right now. Have you seen the dance Yosuke and Senpai are doing!? If I can’t have Yu, then Yosuke should, but those two are _determined_ not to admit the mutual affection!!”

“Seriously! We were just talking about them the other day,” Chie said eagerly, gesturing to herself and Yukiko. “And Yukiko put it really well! She said that Yosuke has been acting like a shy little boy, and Yu has been acting like the little girl he's chasing around!”

Rise guffawed heartily.

“That's so accurate, oh my god…!!” She suddenly fell quiet again. “But you know… For both couples… They're running out of time. If they don’t act soon, it’ll be too late, and the moment will have passed…” She looked down, fretfully fidgeting with her hair. Soft sounds of agreement came from the other two girls.

_The camera zooms out of Rise's bedroom window to a ¾ bird's eye view of the shopping district. It then zooms down to just outside Kanji's bedroom window, through which we can see him furiously sewing._

_A slight pan across the window leads into a zoom back out, and subsequently a swing around to the neighborhood where the Hanamuras live. After another zoom, we get a view through Yosuke's bedroom window of him sitting on the edge of his Western-style bed, staring frozen at his phone in his hands. It displays the contact information for Partner, and his finger hovers, shaking, above the call button. Seeming to gather all his resolve, he presses down on the screen and lifts the phone to his ear. The call is answered almost instantly._

_“H-hey, Partner.”_

_❝What's up?❞_

_“I, uh… I gotta… We gotta talk.”_

_The camera zooms out to the street, then flies along above the roads until it arrives at an apartment building. It slowly zooms into the second-to-last window on the second floor, where we find a very anxious Naoto stiffly speed-walking back and forth through her apartment. Suddenly, she comes to an abrupt halt before the door. She stares at it with quickly hardening resolve in her eyes. Marching up to the shoe rack, she secures her feet in her favorite platform shoes before opening the door, shutting it, and locking it. The camera slowly zooms out and we see a blue scooter speed out of the parking garage soon after._

_The camera swoops down to the street level and races after the scooter. At some point, their paths diverge and the camera begins to ascend, until eventually, we are again watching Kanji. He paces his room, looking around wildly, at an utter loss for what to do with his nervous energy. He wipes sweaty palms on his jeans._

_The doorbell rings and he gives a tremendous start. Remembering that he is home alone, he jogs downstairs to the side door which serves as the front door of their home. With a shaky hand, he opens the door…_

"Hello, Kanji-kun.”

"H-hey, uh, Naoto.”

Naoto shifted slightly, looking uncomfortable, passing her cap back and forth between her hands. She cleared her throat and erred a bit before forming a sentence.

“Erm, ah, might I, er… Is it possible that I might humbly request your accompaniment on a stroll through town?” She cringed at how awfully stilted she sounded and quickly added, “there are some matters which… Which we must discuss.”

Kanji blinked several times, surprised. Some part of his brain made him nod numbly. Autopilot got him over the threshold and got the door locked. His delayed reaction said,

“Y-yeah, uh… I got some stuff I gotta talk ta you about, too.”

Naoto flinched and hastily tucked her cap back on and over her eyes.

“Let us reserve the bulk of our conversation for a more… _Secluded_ setting. Perhaps the overlook?”

He nodded again and they set out.

After twenty minutes of each desperately avoiding looking at the other, they reached the—mercifully deserted—overlook. The teens sat down opposite each other at the pavilion, and commenced staring at the tabletop.

“S-so, uh… You first. What'd ya wanna talk about?”

Naoto took a deep breath, tugging her cap down over her eyes.

“Forgive me if I… Stumble at all. This is not something I’ve ever had to discuss previously.”

“Uhh… Okay?” He felt slightly nauseous with nerves, so he doubted he’d hear much of what she said anyways. True to character, she launched into a monologue full of words he'd never heard and would probably never learn. Meanwhile, his brain was a nervous wreck. He was surprised he could still hear her talking, even if he wasn’t taking any of it in.

Naoto wasn’t at all conscious of what she was saying; she was simply rambling, building a wall of words to hide behind. Spouting hollow sentences without a point. Attempting to explain that she _couldn’t_ explain _why_ she couldn’t explain what she _had_ to explain.

Eventually, with a tremendous amount of effort, she shut off the flow of her logorrhea. She suddenly couldn’t breathe. She felt so _tiny_. The summer breeze raised hairs on the back of her neck. Birds swooped and sang brightly above the pavilion roof. She was choking on inexplicable terror. Her chest felt horribly constricted, surely not helped by her binder. Had she done it up tighter than usual today? She couldn’t remember. Why… Why was she here again? Why was it so hard to _breathe!?_ She could feel the breaths she wasn’t taking quickly increasing in frequency and getting shallower and shallower, she was panicking, she could only hear the ringing of tinnitus in her ears now, she shut her eyes tighter than she thought was possible; she _couldn’t let the tears get out._ A nearly inaudible cry, a whine of unadulterated _misery_ escaped her clenched throat, and tears of—embarrassment? Fear? Frustration? She couldn’t, she _didn’t_ know—forced their way out from between her eyelids.

All of this happened to Naoto within five seconds, during which time some part of Kanji's brain lurched back into action and ordered him to seize the opportunity that her unexpected silence offered.

“N-Naoto, I…”

She was suffocating on words that she didn’t know—

“I love you,” she choked out.

His joints ground to a halt. He had subconsciously leaned forward, as if begging her to hear words yet unsaid. Naoto was frozen both physically and mentally. The silence was only disturbed by the rushing of leaves in the breeze. The birds had departed.

“…love… You,” he finished, not entirely processing her meaning. “Hang… Hang on. Wha…” _What? I thought I was the one confessing here. Wait,_ what? _Woah, woah, waiwaiwait. Back up. No. She didn’t just… No way._ “Hold up. What did you just say?”

Naoto… Couldn’t hear him. _Keep it together, keep it together, keep it together, Shirogane… He hasn’t said anything yet; why hasn’t he said anything yet? Oh, Heaven help me… But even Heaven can’t shield me from the truth… I suppose I should at least pull myself together and take the blow with dignity._ She didn't realize that she had her fingertips pressed into her ears.

Kanji did realize this, however. Apprehensively, anxious of invading her personal space, he reached over the table and nudged her hands away from her ears.

“Naoto…?” Kanji watched as she coughed out a sob, then made an odd sound that might have been a badly disguised sniff.

Beneath the brim of her cap, Naoto blinked furiously to rid her eyes and lashes of excess moisture, stretched her face to check that her tears had dried, and softly cleared her throat. She swallowed and straightened up, adjusting her cap's position over her eyes. She then softly spoke.

“I… I l- _love_ you.” She had to force out the second word. _It hurts only a little less to say the second time,_ she noticed. _One would think… That once the deed is done and it's been said, it wouldn't be so hard to say again. Not so, apparently._

Kanji was slowly shaking his head. He felt quite dizzy.

“No, no… I’m either dreamin' or hallucinating, or yer lyin'. And I 'unno why ya'd lie about this, so tha' means I’m either sleepin' or I’ve finally gone round the bend.” He pinched some skin on the back of his hand and twisted it. He grimaced at the pain. “Yup. Guess that's it, then. Jeez, Naoto, ya finally drove me crazy. Almost wanna congratulate ya, but, well, if yer not real I guess there ain’t much point, huh?”

Naoto peeked out from beneath the brim of her cap. Kanji was staring off into the distance, over the valley that Inaba was nestled in. She had to somehow prove to him that it _wasn’t_ a dream, that he _wasn’t_ just seeing things, that she _was_ really there.

Cautiously, she brought up her left hand from her lap and inched it across the table. When her fingertips brushed up against his, he jumped slightly. He didn’t resist, however, as she slipped her fingers between his and lifted his hand up off the table. His fingers bent to match hers, so that their hands were folded together. They both stared at their joined hands, fascinated.

 _Why would he think… That the possibility of my confession is only that in a dream…? Because that would suggest that… He reciprocates…_ She swallowed hard and tried again.

“Yes... Yes, I love you, Kanji-kun… I do, and I do not know why, nor for how long. I only know that I do, and… That I would be quite thrilled if… If you were to reciprocate the feeling.”

“Are you sure? 'Cause… If y'are… Then… I absolutely do. Reciprocate.”

Kanji and Naoto were the two members of the Investigation Team who were most reserved and reluctant with their smiles. Kanji laughed easily with friends, but he almost never smiled. His brows were always knitted, his jaw always set—he had a façade to maintain, see? Meanwhile, the stoic Detective Prince rarely smiled, even around her grandfather. When a smile did appear on her face, it was always small and fleeting, with a hint of sadness in it; she invariably closed her eyes and lowered her cap when the corners of her her mouth turned upwards.

But in this moment, both young faces were relaxed. Both sets of eyes were open wide, both pairs of lips barely parted. And gradually, as if they were sharing some emotional warmth through their clasped hands, the corners of both mouths were gently pulled upwards.

“I believe… That…” She shook her head, then tried again. “I confess I do not understand how things are generally expected to progress from this point. I do not know how to express my feelings, nor do I have any past experience to hold up as a reference. However… I believe I am ready to learn. From what I have seen in others, the road is not always a smooth one, but… It is worth it. So… What say you, Kanji-kun?”

"I-I, yeah, I mean—Totally!” Kanji's face was suddenly split with a grin, and he gently squeezed Naoto's hand. “Guess it's good we were both able ta get that off our chests!” He laughed.

“In-indeed.” Naoto was pink-cheeked and smiling faintly. “Th— Shall we go?”

“Y-yeah, guess so." He stood up, then seemed to remember something. "Oh, an', uh, Naoto?"

"Yes?"

"Y... Y'ever work out tha' last riddle?"

She sighed heavily.

"No, indeed."

"Heh..." He laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, uh... I guess I should come clean 'bout that. It was me, the whole time. With the... The riddles, an' all."

Naoto hid a broad smile beneath her cap.

"Aha. So, I was not far off the mark in my suspicions."

"'Course not. Yer a million times smarter'n me, should a known ya'd figger it out."

"I'm not so sure about that. You don't give yourself enough credit, Kanji-kun."

"Eh. Dunno 'bout that. But hey, le's get goin'. I need some serious help with tha' homework from Kashiwagi."

Naoto frowned, but dropped the issue.

"Very well. Shall we?" She paused, then nervously, hesitantly, offered him her hand. He smiled down at her and took it.

"Totally."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man, has this been a ride.  
> I started this as just a kid adopting an unfinished fic that I thought had a lot of potential. And _wow,_ did I get more out of this than I expected!! I was—and still am—absolutely blown away by how many people started reading and _enjoying_ my tiny adopted fic! I can hardly believe what's happened over the past couple months... My writing is drawing people in! I'm making friends and meeting people in this community! I'm seeing myself grow as a writer with each new chapter I write! I'm completely _destroying_ my old concepts of writing large-scale; this is the longest story I've ever written by FAR. (Second place is a thing I wrote six or so years ago, and that's only something like 8k words.) I'm astounded that what started as a small project has exploded into a work topping 30k words!! This summer will 100% be one for the records in my life. Not to say that I won't keep writing!! Just that once school starts up again, I'll have less time to spend on writing... ;( But hey, everything that's happened since May is all thanks to YOU. That's right, if you're reading these words, if you've stuck with RMT all the way through, read through the last chapter and read my endless thanks, then I'll say it again: THANK YOU!! ~~If you're reading Riddle Me This, then you're reading the contents of my soul. This work is the frying pan that I emptied my egg-soul into.~~ I cannot express how blessed I feel that there's a community of people out here that puts up with all my shit to read what I write. I seriously couldn't be more excited every time I see that there's something new in my inbox. That is a thrill that will never fade!  
>  Aauugh, I dunno what else to say, but I feel like I could just fill dozens of these text boxes with my sappy thanks and talking about how this has all changed me creatively and how much I've learned from writing this and from y'all's feedback (wutup, thanks for the detailed comments and critiques, TheBlepKing) and the people I'm meeting and talking to (yo, read javert_is_my_poor_repressed_son's first posted fic, they scraped that story out of the very bottom of their soul... But anyways, my bro!! Thanks a bajillion for beta reading the last few chapters!! It really helps me figure out what I'm doing wrong and how I can improve in general as well as chapter-by-chapter! Keep it up with the writing and the drawing; you're amazing!) (PariahParty, thanks so much for being here from early on and commenting often) (Not_An_Author, much love for your comments helping get me through the chapters I got stuck on) (woopslap, dude!!! You don't even have an AO3 account but you were here from the very beginning, commenting and cheering me on, and DAMN, I really, really, really appreciate that) (oh man, you guys don't even know how excited I was when I started catching the attention of my senpai in the Kannao corner of AO3; KawaiiBoushi, WishStone, and Not_An_Author on RMT, and StormWildcat on Ikanaide... I AM A SMOL YOUNG OVERLY EXCITABLE NOOB HERE PLS LOVE ME LOL) and what a joy it is to be here sharing how much I lOVE THESE TWO DORKS!!  
> ...but I won't. I'll just sign off here. Because hey man, I'm not done. This is only my first rodeo, and this was such a crazy fun time that jeez, hell if I'm not coming back for more!! Once again, I owe 90% of this to you all, so thank you, thank you, thank you, from the very bottom of my heart! I love and appreciate you guys _so_ much!! Seen the comets!!! Till next time!!  
>  Hugs,  
> Nova☆
> 
>  
> 
> _Hey, one last thanks. All my most sincere appreciation goes to Cakelets (Lawlietluver), the author of the original Riddle Me This. Thank you so much for entrusting me with your child. As I've said, this has been a creative odyssey for me, and I owe to RMT a lot of what I am as an author now. I've had such a fantastic time with it. Thank you for starting this, and in a way, thank you for not ever finishing it. And thanks for letting me take up the helm. ❤(＾▼＾)ゞ_

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Riddle Me THAT!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14500626) by [drowninginchamomiletea](https://archiveofourown.org/users/drowninginchamomiletea/pseuds/drowninginchamomiletea), [Not_An_Author](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Not_An_Author/pseuds/Not_An_Author)




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